Supernatural Wizards
by Bunny1
Summary: We all know that Jerry's sister Megan hated him and his family. What if she had made them think Alex was dead, and had her raised by a family of hunters, The Winchesters? And, what if Castiel is brought in for a different reason altogether? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

_1994..._

John Winchester sat down in the little bar in Texas, waiting. He'd gotten a strange call from a woman he'd spent a weekend with not quite a year ago, and was waiting for her to come in. Megan Russo walked in, looking just as good as she ever did--- but with a baby carseat swinging from one hand. John stiffened as she approached him.

"John, hi." she said, putting the seat onto the table. "She's yours, take her."

"Um... what?" John frowned.

"Timing is about right, isn't it?" she said, arms folded.

"Well... yes..."

"Well, I don't want her." the woman said bluntly, and suddenly John wanted her as far away from that carseat as possible. "Just... take her, she's yours." Megan said again.

John took the baby and walked out of the bar as quickly as possible, not seeing the smile on Megan's face as he walked away...

* * *

A few hours later, John walked into an Econo- Lodge in New Jersey, where he knew Sam and Dean would be waiting for him. And, there they were, sitting on the couch in their boxers and t-shirts, watching Scooby Doo. John smiled.

"Hey-a, boys!" he called out. "I got a present for ya."

Dean raised a skeptical eyebrow, but Sam hopped up, looking excited. They both, however, were completely shocked when they saw the tiny infant girl laid down between them.

"Where'd you get a baby?!" Sam wanted to know, instantly taken with her, scooping her up into his arms.

"Careful with the head, Sammy." he said automatically. "And, uh... She's ours." John said.

"Ours?" Dean echoed. "As in you knocked up some skeevy waitress or somethin'?"

"Bartender." John said uncomfortably.

Dean shook his head, but still couldn't help smiling at the little one. "What's your name, sugar?" he asked her, as though she might really answer.

"Well, thought I'd let you boys take care of that one." John said, sitting down on the table in front of his now _three_ kids.

"Alexis." Sam pronounced. "She looks like an Alexis."

"No way! No sister of mine's having a stripper name!" Dean argued.

"Alexis isn't a stripper name!" Sam argued back.

Dean moved out his hand dramatically, putting on an announcer's voice, "Now presenting, Alexis, who can shoot ping pong balls out of her tw---"

"Dean!" John admonished, but he was chuckling himself a little. "All right, all right you two... we'll make a deal. Her full name can be Alexis, but we can call her Alex for short, okay? And, Dean gets to pick the middle name."

"Mary." Dean said, watching Sammy hold the baby.

And, John nodded approvingly. "All right. We stay here tonight, and then in the morning we head out and move on."


	2. Chapter 2

_2005..._Sam Winchester snuggled next to his beautiful girlfriend, Jessica. She was perfect... everything he could ever want... There was still, of course, a part of him that wished he had a normal family he could just take her to, to meet her. He wanted to introduce her to Dean and Alex, his big brother and baby sister, at least. He missed the two of them like crazy. Dad even... if they were speaking. Which, he really, really hated. The two of them butted heads, but, that didn't mean he didn't love the man. Suddenly, his cellphone started going off, and he frowned at the unrecognizable number.

"Hello?"

"Sammy?" a small voice asked on the other end of the line.

"Alex?" he answered, worriedly. "What's the matter? Where are you?"

"Palo Alto bus station." she said cheerfully. "Daddy dropped me off at a station in Utah, and I made it here by myself!"

Sam groaned. "By _yourself_? Does Dean know?"

Jess, meanwhile, was looking at him with immense concern, but he held up a hand to stop her from asking any questions.

"No, I wasn't _with_ Dean, I was with Daddy. Dean doesn't like me to ride the bus, you know that."

"Yeah, neither do I." Sam muttered. "Look, you wait there at the pay phone--- _don't move_--- and I'm coming to get you. Right now."

"Okay." she said, hanging up.

Sam looked at Jessica, standing up quickly. "Come on, we've gotta go."

"Sam, what's going on?" she demanded, following him out, perplexed.

"My baby sister, Alex; she's like, _11_, and my Dad put her on a _bus _to come here!"

"So, she's alone?" Jess asked, wide eyed.

"Yeah, which is why we're going to _get_ her." Sam said a bit impatiently.

"Right, of course..." Jess nodded. "Wonder why he would drop her off like that?" she asked innocently.

"Doesn't really matter." Sam said shortly. "Fact is, I just don't want her alone at a bus station; she's a baby." Sam said, growing more aggravated by the minute.

If John had a dangerous hunt, he could've gotten her to Dean, or, if Dean was going with him--- which, he kind of _doubted_ if the kid had been dropped off at the bus station--- he could've gotten off of his high-horse and just _brought_ her to him. Something, anything other than _that_... But, he must've broken every driving law possible on the way to the station, and Jessica had kept her mouth shut the entire time. Normally she would've fussed about it, but, she could tell there was not a point.

When they got in there, Alex raced up to him, and he scooped her up into his arms.

"Hey, Cupcake." he said. "I missed you..."

"I missed you, too!" she said happily. "Is this your girlfriend? She's pretty. Definately prettier than Dean's."

Jess laughed. "I like her." she said, falling in step beside them as they went back to the car.

"Yeah, this is Jess... and, since when does Dean have a girlfriend?"

"Well, doesn't now. But they dated three whole weeks!"

Sam's eyebrows raised. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I didn't like her though. She wasn't nice."

Sam nodded, guessing if she'd yelled at Alex or something that would've been "it" for Dean. "Well, fortunately, Jess is awesome, and she even can bake. We got brownies at home."

"Brownies?" she smiled, eyes lighting up.

"Yup." he said, sitting her in the middle seat, between him and Jess as he started up the car. "Did Dad say when he was coming to get you?"

Alex shook her head. "No... he'll probably either call or send Dean."

Sam nodded, smothering a sigh. Something... was definately feeling off here...


	3. Chapter 3

Sam tensed, instantly alert when it sounded like someone was break in to his and Jess' apartment. Jess and Alex were dead to the world, so he slipped quietly out of bed and into the den where he saw the shadowy figure. He attacked, shocked when he found himself on his back, looking up into the grinning face of...

"Dean?"

"Hey, Sammy!" Dean said cheerfully.

"What... what are you doin' here?"

"Lookin' for beer--- and you're gettin' rusty, kiddo." he smirked.

The two wrassled a bit more, until the lights were flicked on, and a sleepy but shocked Jess was standing there in her shrunken Smurfs T-Shirt and panties.

"What's going on here?" she demanded.

"Nothing, go back to bed..."

"Aren't'cha gonna introduce me?" Dean asked, eyeing her up.

"Oh, yeah. Jess, this is my older brother, Dean. Dean, this is my girlfriend, Jessica."

"Hi. You are _way_ out of my little brother's league." Dean smirked.

"I'm just... gonna go change."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't hear of it."

Sam rolled his eyes.

"What's up, Dean?"

"Dad's missing."

"Well, he'll probably come stumbling back in about two or three days from now." Sam said a bit shortly.

Dean looked frustrated. "Dad went on a _hunting trip_, and I haven't heard from him in a few weeks."

"Jess, would you please excuse us?"

Jess nodded, but about this time Alex came running out, wearing one of Sam's shirts to sleep in, though it came down to her ankles almost.

"Dean!"

Dean looked genuinely shocked, scooping the pigtailed damsel up into his arms. "Cupcake, when did you get here?"

"About seven o'clock." she said.

"You had no idea she was here?" Sam asked, frowning.

"No, of course not..." he said, sitting her down. "Go get your bag and take it to the car, okay? It's right downstairs."

Alex grabbed the bag off of the couch. "Bye, Sam." she said, hugging him. "Bye, Jess." she said, giving her a quick hug too.

"Go ahead, sweetheart." Dean said, looking at Sam.

"He and I'll be right back." Sam said, walking out to the hallway with him. "Dean, I swore I was done with hunting!" Sam said, annoyed.

"Look, I ain't bugged ya in two years, but you gotta admit, something doesn't smell right here. He drops Alex off with you? Just... vanishes off the face of the earth?"

"Where were you that he had Alex, anyway?" Sam asked.

Usually, it had always been Dean that had taken care of Alex--- and him, for that matter, when they were growing up.

"I was working a case of my own, in New Orleans. She was with me, but he came to get her." Dean shrugged.

"Dad lets you work your own cases now?"

"Dude, I'm 26."

Sam nodded.

"Look, I can't do this on my own."

"Yes, you can..." Sam said.

"Well, yeah... but, I don't want to?" Dean admitted.

Sam sighed. It was more not wanting to let go of Dean right that minute than worry over Dad, but... "Yeah, let me go get a bag."


	4. Chapter 4

After three days, they had found a Woman in White, and made her face her past so that she could move on, but, not Dad... Dean hated to bring Sam back. He hated letting go--- again. The first time had almost killed him--- how could he do it again?

"Dean." Sam said, turning back around. "You could call me, y'know? I'm right here... and, seriously, if you think a case might get too nasty, bring the Cupcake _here_. Actually _you_ bring her, and come _in_. Okay?"

Dean gave him a half smile. "Yeah, sure. But, she's fine. I got her. Can't really fathom why Dad... just... took her like that."

Sam looked at him funny. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I left her in the motel room, on a bed surrounded by salt. She was safe as a bug while I was... um, next door."

Sam's eyebrows went up a bit.

"Anyway, I get a call from her saying Dad came and got her before I even make it back. And, he wouldn't get on the phone." Dean said, looking a little miffed at that. "But, it's all right. Got her now. Got to see you again out of it." he said with a trace of a smile, "and I'm gonna find Dad."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I know you will. If... just, no matter what, actually call me soon?" Sam asked, trying to hide the pleading in his tone. "At least once a week, I know you're okay?"

Dean sighed. Those damned puppy eyes, man...

"Yeah, yeah. Go back to Smurfette." he grinned, patting him on the arm.

Sam sighed, walking back up to his apartment...

* * *

When Alex woke up in the backseat, there were sirens all around her. She climbed out, and there was Sam and Dean, sitting on the hood of the Impala, and Sam's building... was...

"Hey! What's going on?"

"Alex, get back to sleep." Dean said, staring at Sam with concerned eyes.

"You wanna come up front?" Sam asked, attempting to pull himself together. "Come on."

Alex climbed up into the front, sliding under the crook of Sam's arm when he sat down, gripping her tightly but still staring off into space. And, Dean climbed back into the car, peeling out of there. Most other little kids, they'd've been asking what happened, but, she knew. It was obvious... The fire, no Jess... didn't take a genius to put it together, and, having been around Winchester men all of her life, she wisely said nothing.

"We'll, ah, find a hotel." Dean said gruffly.

"No. Get me out of here, Dean. Please."

Dean nodded, and pulled onto the highway, more than glad to leave the monstrosity behind them.

Sam sighed, leaning back against the seat and closing his eyes. He didn't really want to sleep, he just wanted to avoid right now. Avoid talking. Avoid thinking... Jess... The little boy part of him wished he could get Dean to make it better, like when they were little kids. Dean always somehow made _everything_ better. But, now... Nothing could make this better... That freaking demon was gonna pay... for what he'd done to all of them... And, he swore to himself right then that if he could, he'd keep Alex out of it as much as possible. Safe, and try to maintain _some_ semblance of innocence... even if she was a Winchester...


	5. Chapter 5

Weeks went on, and no sign of dad. But, somehow the cryptic trail he had lain out for his children led them back towards New Orleans once again. Alex hadn't really wanted to go, and, Sam could see Dean wasn't particulaly keen on it himself, but they both remained quiet about it. And, when Sam finally met Cassie... he was surprised. She didn't seem Dean's type. For one, Dean usually liked women who seemed... softer, prettier...

Though, the way Alex continued making faces everytime Cassie spoke did amuse Sam, until she finally stood up.

"All right, that's enough!" she burst out.

Dean knit his brows slightly at her.

"Alex, sit down." he said.

"No! I will not sit down and watch this anymore! We were _done_ with the 'Cassie experience'!" she burst out. "And, now that she _needs_ something you're just going to let her cozy back up to you?!"

"Now hold on---" Dean tried, but she was already too wound up.

"No! I will not stay here and get treated like that again!"

"Like... what again?" Dean asked, frowning.

Suddenly Alex realized she'd said too much and bit her lower lip. "Um... nothing."

"Alexis Mary Winchester." Dean said sternly, sounding almost like Dad giving an order. Almost.

"She slapped me! Twice!" Alex burst out.

Sam stood up so fast that the footstool he had been sitting on went flying out from under him and halfway across the room, and Dean rose quickly himself, both staring at her with cold fury that made Cassie shrink back.

"Hey! She's not telling the whole story!" Cassie tried to defend.

"Alex, go wait in the car. Sam, you take her."

"No way! This bitch---"

"Sammy, please?"

Sam quickly led Alex outside and sat her on the hood of the car, kneeling in front of her.

"Babe..." he began gently.

"Sam, please don't be mad at me?" she begged. "I was just trying to help..."

"No, nobody's mad at you, okay? I promise..." he said, reaching up to stroke her hair gently. "Just... why didn't you say something _before_ this? Like... when it happened?"

Alex shrugged. "I didn't want it to be because of me." she said quietly. "He liked her... alot. I didn't want to screw it up for him. I figured that he'd figure out on his own how she really was, and I didn't want that to be my fault. Just hers."

Sam sighed, his forehead dropping to her knee, then looked at her with serious eyes. "Never, _ever_ do that again, you hear me?" he said sternly, though his eyes were a little watery. "Dean wouldn't want you to do that, and I certainly don't... we can't protect you if you won't let us. If someone ever hurts you, in any way... you have to come to us. That's what big brothers are_ for_... it doesn't matter _who_ it is, or what happened, you have to tell us, okay?" he said.

Alex nodded, eyes welling up a bit. "I'm sorry... it didn't leave a mark, so I figured it wasn't _that_ big of a deal..."

"Anyone ever laying hands to you? Yes, _very_ big deal." Sam said heatedly, still stroking her hair.

Meanwhile, inside...

"Dean, the kid is mouthy and spoiled!"

"You callin' her a liar, or trying to justify your actions?" Dean yelled back.

"It was only the two times. That brat has a mouth on her, and if you don't learn to get her in line---"

But, Cassie gasped as Dean grabbed her by her arms, holding tight enough it hurt. "She's _mine_. Well, mine and Sammy's... not _yours_!"

"She had it coming."

Dean let go, and slapped her hard, right across the face. Hard enough that it would definately leave a mark. Cassie gasped, looking at him in shock and a little fear.

Dean's jaw worked. "You're lucky you don't get what you have coming." he ground out, and stomped out the door.

Nobody, but nobody hurt Dean Winchester's family. He wanted to hit her again, but, he knew if he did he wouldn't be able to hold back, to stop. She would be dead... And that just wouldn't help anybody. Besides, there was that stupid not ganking humans rule...

He walked over to the car, where Alex was laid against Sam's side, and gestured for her to come over to him, so that he could pull her into an embrace. "You listen to me, don't you _ever_ do that again." he said, holding her tightly.

"Dean, I'm sorry, but... I didn't want to be the reason you broke up with her."

"Broke up with? Cupcake, she's lucky I didn't _see_ it happen, or I would have ganked her then and there." Dean spat. "Look, I got a list of importants, and you an' Sammy are at the number one spot. Number two is my baby." he said, patting the top of the car with a smirk.

"Wow, we rank above the car?" Sam asked in mock awe.

"Shut up, bitch." Dean smirked.

"Jerk." Sam shot back with a slight grin.

"Get in the car, we're going to the hotel."

"Are we dropping the case?" Alex asked with wide eyes.

"... no. We're just gonna deal strictly with the ghosts, not the skeevy gutter---"

Sam cleared his throat a bit.

"Right, we'll just leave the humans out of it." Dean nodded. "Friggin humans, man... I'll say it again: Monsters I get;, humans are just nuts..."


	6. Chapter 6

"A truck though?" Sam asked. "This is definately new."

"For us, maybe." Dean shrugged. "Anyway, doesn't matter. From what I see on this research, we're gonna have to talk to Cassie's mom."

Sam nodded, watching as Dean poured salt circles around one of the beds in the hotel room.

"Alex! C'mon! Hop up!" he said, patting the bed.

"But, Dean---"

"I'm making you a circle, okay? And you don't get out of the bed unless it's necessary."

Alex sat on the bed, sighing, as Sam put down the tv remote, a book, and a soda on the stand next to her.

"What if I have to go the bathroom?"

"No." Dean said.

"Dean." Sam chided, shaking his head.

"What? She's just arguing with me. Alex, sit. Stay."

"I'm not a puppy!"

"Just go to sleep. We'll be back soon." Sam said, following Dean out of the door.

* * *

Dean sat in the car, breathing heavily as the ghost truck had just driven _through_ him.

"Dean!" Sam's frantic voice called on the other end of the line. "Dean! Are you all right?"

"Yeah... what the hell happened?" he panted.

"You stopped where Cyrus burned down the church! It's still hallowed ground; the ghost destroyed itself by driving over it."

"How'd you know that would work?" Dean asked warily.

"Didn't; just took a guess."

"You took a..." Dean shook his head, slapping his phone shut. "Gonna kill that kid, I swear..." he muttered, starting the car up to go back and get Sam.

Sam was waiting next to the old tractor when Dean pulled up, and slid into car.

"Okay, we can go back to the hotel, get out of here?"

"Yeah..." Sam said, looking at him. "But, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah, what?" Dean asked guardedly.

"How come you never mentioned Cassie before?"

"What?" Dean asked uncomfortably.

"Well... you never said a word..." he said carefully.

"Because I trusted her in a way that I shouldn't have." Dean said gruffly.

"You didn't know she was going to treat Alex like that..." Sam said gently.

"I don't mean just that..." Dean sighed. "Although, if I _had _known before this morning, something would've been done about it... Nah, I mean, yeah, that pisses me off that I didn't know it, but... I told her... everything. I was actually _honest_. 'Bout who we are. What we do..."

"Seriously?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrows up into his bangs.

"Yes, all right?" Dean spat, annoyed. "I told her everything, and she started throwing every kind of shit she could reach at my _head_! Which, is why I never bothered before..."

Sam sighed. "Dude, I'm sorry..."

"Yeah, I picked wrong, whatever." Dean tried to shrug it off. "Just let it go. Guys like us... we can't have that kinda thing."

"Dean, that's bullshit and you know it." Sam burst out. "Yeah, Jess is gone, but she wouldn't be if I'd've just been honest with her!"

Dean spun the car to the side of the road so fast Sam had to hold on.

"Dude!"

"Look, you know that's true! If she knew about my past, what I knew... that I'd started having those dreams... she might still be here!"

"Sammy... even if you were there, sleeping next to her, it still would've happened." Dean said softly. "If it was something that could've been stopped... then she'd still be around. _Mom_ would still be around."

He didn't want to verbalize it, but left the thought they both had lingering in the air: _If John Winchester couldn't stop it... what could?_


	7. Chapter 7

Alex walked over to Sam and Dean, the mud covering her small frame; her clothes sticking to her in the rain.

"How was that?" she panted.

"Three minutes; not bad." Dean approved. "C'mon, we'll go get you cleaned up, and then we'll work on some of the weapons stuff."

Sam made a face. "Dude, she's a little girl; don't you think we should... I dunno... _not_ teach her the weapons stuff?"

"Sammy, she's 11. She's in training. You know this." Dean said, a bit annoyed. "In four months, she'll be old enough to actually come with us, and I need her to be decent backup."

Sam balked. "That's the same kind of shit Dad used to say."

"Sam, you know the life we lead!" Dean said gruffly. "We have to make sure that she's gonna be okay, especially if something comes and we're not there! Training you, training her--- that's a reassurance that you're safe. Alive. By the time you were that age, you could've taken on two senior football players in a fight. Not really _more_ than that, but..."

Sam sighed, keeping in step with Alex, who was racing back to the motel. Dean had set up an obstacle course in the woods about three blocks behind it, and she'd been going through it for the past hour. Dean was right, he knew, but part of him wished she didn't have to hunt at all. She was still little, sweet... just not as innocent as Sam would have liked. She knew what was out there in the dark as much as they did, and had been on one hunt with them before, not just waiting in the hotel.

Of course, the one hunt turned out to be a Wendigo, which made Sam insist to Dean that she have to wait till she's 12 at least for the next one. When Alex went into the shower, Dean started laying all sorts of weapons on one of the beds in the room.

"Sammy, how about go get some ice-cream?"

"Ice-cream?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's about lunchtime, and there's a Cold Stone Creamery right up the street." he said, throwing him the keys. "Oooh, and a pie."

Sam grinned, he could accuse Dean all he wanted to; Dean was _not_ that much like his father...

"What kind?"

"She likes white chocolate with the butterfinger bits in it, and I like the mint choco-chip with heath bars in it. And... blueberry pie. Or Apple... no, lemon."

"I'll get what I can find." Sam chuckled, walking out the door.

When Alex came out, Dean was sitting in front of some disassembled weapons.

"Okay, puzzle time." he said, grabbing his stopwatch.

Alex smiled. This was the fun part. She hadn't been allowed to shoot yet, but, she knew that was coming soon, because they'd expect her to be a crack shot by the time they took her hunting. And, she wanted to go. She wanted to go to be with them, not worrying in the hotel, wondering if they'd come back. At least she could back them up; help.

"All right. Good job." Dean said, ruffling her hair a bit, when she was done. "We'll get a little faster, don't worry. Right now precision is a little more important."

Alex nodded, leaning against Dean. Whenever that first hunt came... she was definately ready.


	8. Chapter 8

_2006..._

When Sam, Dean and Alex walked into the room, the last person they expected to be waiting in the shadows was their own father, smiling at them. All this time of looking for him; almost a year... and here he was... First he hugged Dean, then after a pause Sam came to him as well. Lastly he scooped up Alex into a hug. Alex lay her head on his shoulder, and he stood, looking at his sons.

"Didn't think we'd all be together like this again." he said finally.

"Dad... where have you been?" Dean rasped.

"Around." John said quietly. "I didn't want to disappear, but I didn't have any choice; I had to make sure you were protected."

"Protected?" Sam frowned. "Dad, you've been sending us on all kinds of crazy hunts with those clues---"

"Maybe, but what I'm hunting, son... you can't be a part of. I'm sorry. Not yet."

"You found it, didn't you?" Sam demanded quietly. "Yellow Eyes. The thing that killed Mom. That killed Jess..."

"Jess?"

"Sam's girlfriend." Alex whispered.

"Oh... Ahem, I'm close. Very close."

"I need to be a part of this!"

"You can't!"

"Dad!"

"I'm here for something else first, that you can help me with." he said instead of giving in.

Dean looked at him sideways. "What?"

"Nest of vampires, they stole something... something I thought didn't even exist up till now..." he explained, pacing. "Thought it was a myth, but Samuel Colt, he made a gun, with six special bullets. Only six. And, that gun with those bullets... can kill anything._ Anything_."

"A demon? There's a gun that can actually kill a demon?" Dean asked, pacing a bit.

"Yes." John said, "but we have to get it from these vampires first."

"You told me _vamps_ were a myth!" Dean burst out.

"Well, they're not!" John said, sitting Alex down. "As it turns out, they're real, and not all of the mythology about them is right. Sun doesn't make them go poof. They have an allergy-like affect to it, and light sensitivity; but if they wear enough sunscreen and dark shades, they're good for short periods of time. And, their fangs can't be seen unless they want you to, either; it's not just the two like the movies. A whole retractable set, like freaking piranhas."

"Guessing garlic's bullshit, too?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. They don't mind it. Holy water stings, but Dead Man's Blood... that's their real poison. Get 'em with that... they go down slow and painful. Quickest and best way is decaptitation, though."

"Does that mean I get a sword?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Ah... no, baby doll." John said softly, laying a hand on her head. "You can't go on this one."

"But, I've been going on hunts with the boys for months!" she said, slightly huffy. "Dad! Come on!"

"Not vampires." John said sternly. "And not with the bounty the demons have on me right now. Bobby's not too far from here; we'll drop you off with him until we're done."

Alex made a face. "But, can't I just stay at the hotel?"

"No! You need to be looked after, and we're going to be gone, probably out in the wilderness, a few _days_! A week maybe! Okay?"

Alex sighed, looking at her shoes, then looked up at Dean and Sam. "Don't you two want me to go?"

John rolled his eyes at her, but a grin tugged at the corners of Dean's mouth as he put a hand on her back. "No, baby, we don't. I'm sorry. This is something we aren't used to, and not quite sure how to deal with. Next time we hunt vamps... maybe, okay?"

Alex sighed, looking at Sam for final confirmation.

"Slick, aren't'cha?" he said with a little smile. "No. I'm usually the last to agree with Dad, but... no. Not this time. You'll be safe at Bobby's, okay? His place is great... he has this awesome library, and junk in the attic---"

"Stay out of the attic." Dean said quickly.

Sam gave him a funny look.

"There's... he's got stuff up there." Dean said a bit uncomfortably. "Just... don't go in there. Or anywhere else he says it's not cool to go. Capice?"

Alex nodded. She didn't know Bobby that well, but she knew the boys and Dad had been close with him years ago... If they trusted him, that was gospel for her. She just hoped all three would come back this time...


	9. Chapter 9

Alex felt Bobby shaking her awake. Blinking owlishly, she saw that the blurred red numbers of the clock beside her bed said 4:15. Alex yawned.

"What's going on? Are they back?"

"Get dressed." Bobby urged. "We gotta go to the hospital."

Alex was out of bed in a flash, racing for her backpack, and Bobby left out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

When they got to the hospital, Bobby rushed towards the nurses station, wanting to ask where John and the boys might be. But, there was no point, because he could hear John's loud mouth from where he was, and they just followed the sound.

"... and if you can't get me a fucking wheelchair, I'll _walk_ out of here!" he barked.

"Sir, it's hospital policy..." the nurse tried.

"You can shove your hospital policy up your---"

"Daddy!" Alex said, sticking her head in the door.

"Oh, good! There's my girl..." he said, motioning for her to come over with his good arm, his other being in a sling.

"What happened?" Alex demanded. "Where are Sam and Dean?"

"There was a car accident, Button." John sighed. "Now, I need you to go and check on your brothers, because Nurse Rachett over there won't let me."

Alex nodded. "Okay, where are they?" she asked the nurse politely, even though she was a little panicked. She figured Dad had scared the poor woman enough, as John Winchester was used to doing--- and getting--- what he wanted _when_ he demanded.

"I'll take you myself." she said, holding out her hand to Alex, grateful for an excuse to leave the room.

Alex followed, more than a little relieved to see Sam, standing on his own, no visible bandages, against a doorframe.

"Sam!" she said, tackling him around his waist.

"Ooof! Careful, bruised ribs..." he groaned.

At her horrifed expression, though, he felt bad. "It's okay. I'm fine."

Alex bit her lip.

"Where's Dean?"

Sam gestured blandly to the double-doors where surgery was taking place.

"They won't let anyone back there with him right now... he won't wake up yet."

Alex swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, blinking back furious tears.

"Hey, hey, it's... it's okay. Don't you be giving up on him _that_ easy..." Sam said gently, kneeling down in front of her. "Promise me you won't, because he needs us not to."

Alex nodded, her eyes starting to feel like boiled onions, but refusing to let the tears trickle down. She was a big girl now--- more than that, she was a Winchester, and Winchesters did not just cry over nothing...

"He is going to be okay. I promise you, no matter what I have to do... he's going to be fine." Sam said, kissing the top of her head. "But, you don't really need to be here; it's not... the best place for you."

"I want to be here." she said weakly.

"It's late. I'm gonna tell Bobby to take you home--- where is he?"

"Trying to keep Dad from killing the nurses?"

A smirk tugged at one corner of Sam's mouth. "Right... Well, I need to talk to Bobby about a couple of things anyway, so, we're gonna let you sit with Dad a little bit, and then Bobby's taking you back to his place. Okay?"

Alex nodded slowly. It was anything _but_ "okay", but, whining about it wouldn't help matters at all. Besides, she could tell Sam was stretched beyond the limit at the moment, and she didn't want to add to his stress. Besides, if Sam said Dean was going to be okay, going to wake up, he would... He was _Dean_, he just _had_ to...


	10. Chapter 10

Sam stood at the end of his father's bed, looking at him.

"Those things you got Bobby to get, they weren't for a healing spell!" he accused. "You're trying to summon the demon! Your son is in the hospital, _dying_, and you want to have some stupid, _macho_ showdown!"

John glared; Sam just didn't understand, and probably never would. He _did_ love his children, all of them; he just wasn't very good at expressing it most of the time. Meanwhile, what neither of them realized, was that Dean was actually in the room with them, instead of in his own body. And he stood, feeling even more helpless than when Sammy was in high-school, because no one could hear him, or see him.

"Come on, don't fight..." he sighed.

But, the noise escalated, as it always did, and Dean, in his anger, knocked over a glass of water. Sam started; he could feel it... Dean...

"Whoa, I full-on Swayze'd that mother..." Dean said, staring at his own hand, impressed...

* * *

Meanwhile, at Bobby's house, Alex was sitting on the couch, petting Buck, Bobby's old hound, listlessly, when suddenly Buck wasn't a dog--- he was a goat.

Alex skittered back, screaming. Bobby raced into the room.

"What? What?" he asked worriedly, then saw the goat on the couch, sprawled out in an odd way that looked more like a dog or a person than a goat...

Alex ws breathing heavily. "I didn't do it!"

"Easy, easy... I b'leve you didn't bring the goat in, darlin'." he soothed. "But, we'd best get it outta here all the same, or ol' Buck's gonna get 'im."

"Bobby... I think that is Buck."

Bobby frowned. "You been into my sippin' whiskey?" he asked sharply.

"No!" Alex huffed. "I'm just telling you; one minute I was petting Buck, the next minute it was the goat under my hand!"

Suddenly, the goat shook itself out, and it was, once-again, the lazy bloodhound who spent 85% of the day on Bobby's couch.

"I'll be... how in the _hell_..."

"I don't know!" Alex insisted, looking immensely concerned.

"Sounds like Loki's type of shit." Bobby muttered.

"Who's Loki?"

"Trickster. We'll find him later; right now we got stuff to do."

Alex nodded, following Bobby outside, and suddenly things started floating in the air. She closed her eyes, and all of the floating engine parts fell to the ground with a clatter.

"Let's not bother Sam and John with this now. We'll take care of it ourselves, yeah?"

"Right..."


	11. Chapter 11

"Bobby!" Sam said excitedly into the phone.

"What's goin' on?" the older man asked, sounding a little harried.

Which, he had a right to. Half the night strange things had been happening in his house. Whatever was going on, he'd decided that it _wasn't _Loki, because it seemed a little too centralized around Alex and not bothering anyone else. If not for the goat incident, he'd've thought it was a poltergeist, bothering her because she was so upset over Dean...

"Dean! He's awake, Bobby!" Sam said, too happy to even notice the other man's tone. "Bring Alex; come on. He's not even hurt; they're gonna sign him out today."

"Not even hurt?" Bobby asked suspiciously. "That don't sound right..."

"Yeah, I know; docs said it was a miracle. Come on, hurry!" he said, hanging up the phone.

Bobby turned to Alex.

"All right, Ladybug, Dean's awake, an' he can come home today." Bobby said to her.

Alex squealed. "Oh! We have go now!"

"Yeah, come on, darlin'." Bobby nodded.

In the back of his mind, however, he thought, _"Johnny-boy, what have you done?"_

* * *

When they got to the hospital, everyone was standing up in John's room, talking at once. John wasn't there... Alex raced to Dean's side, and he put an arm around her, his hand knotting in her hair, which seemed to be going everywhere today.

"What happened in here?" Bobby demanded.

"Mr. Winchester appears to have suffered a heart attack." the nurse said quietly to Bobby.

"Yeah... can you just... leave for a little bit? Give us some privacy?" Sam asked quietly.

The nurse nodded and walked out, closing the door behind her.

"Heart attack my ass." Dean growled.

"What happened, son?"

"He's... he dropped dead." Sam said dully. "And, the gun was gone. We think the demon got him."

Alex dug her fingers into Dean's shirt, burying her face into his side, and Dean cupped the back of her head tightly.

"I'm here. I'm... not even a _bruise_. You can't tell me him dying and that on the same day is just a coincidence."

"Nobody would try." Sam said softly. "I already said I thought the demon got him---"

"The demon didn't 'get' him, genius; he gave himself _to_ it." Dean spat.

Sam nodded. "Right."

"We have to get the body, take it out, salt and burn the bones. That's what he would've wanted; hunter's funeral." Dean said briskly, as if he were talking about anything other than his father's death.

"Boy, ya don't hafta take this on alone like that..." Bobby sighed.

"It's fine, Bobby." Dean shrugged. "I've got it. It's my job." he said with an air of finality, and walked out of the room.

Sam sighed; Dean always did that. Put on his "game face", bottle up everything. He didn't do the talking stuff; that was more Sammy's department. And, Sam would probably keep poking at him with a stick until he exploded like a loose grenade, Bobby thought. Tick, tick, tick...


	12. Chapter 12

Three or four days went by, 98% of which Dean had spent trying to restore his "baby", the Impala. It was a mess... Sam came out and looked at him worriedly.

"Uh, can I help you?" he offered.

"You don't know anything about mechanics." Dean said gruffly.

"No, but I could hand you tools and stuff if you had to get underneath." Sam shrugged.

"It's cool." Dean waved off.

"Um, there's a couple of things we need to talk about..." Sam said hesitantly.

"No, not really."

"Dean... Alex hasn't had school in a year!" he blurted.

It hadn't been what he'd meant to say; he'd wanted to try to get Dean to talk...

"Yes, she has..." Dean snorted. "I've been teaching her. We don't stay in places long enough that she can exactly do like we did and go for two weeks to a school and switch. With the way we split places, she'd be in for a _day_. And, I seem to recall that you hated 'always being the new kid'?"

"Yeah, I did." Sam said quietly. "But, we should start homeschooling her at least." he said, sitting on the trunk of one of the numerous junkers in Bobby's backyard.

"Dude, I told you... I have been."

Sam made a face. "Dean, teaching her about weapons and buying her the new _Harry Potter_ book doesn't count as actual _school_!"

"It's... required reading, isn't it? For kids her age?"

"In some schools, I guess---"

"Then, there ya go." Dean said, going back to what he was doing.

Sam grit his teeth. He didn't want to start an argument, but, he finally had Dean talking after three days, and he was going to have an actual conversation, not be brushed off.

"There's a testing center. A _Sylvan_. In town." he said. "We can see what level she's on, get her some home-school credit."

"What is it with you and getting us on the radar?"Dean asked, looking at him.

"She needs credit for what she knows. Besides, they can maybe tell us what level she's at, and what she needs to know to progress further. I think it's important."

"Now you think it's important all of a sudden? You haven't brought it up at all before now."

"Don't look at me like that; maybe I was being self-absorbed, or overly focused on other things. I dunno. But... you went and got yourself a GED, doesn't she deserve at least a shot at that?"

Dean's back stiffened.

"Oh, so Mr. College Boy thinks he's smarter than me, 'cause I don't have a 'real' diploma?"

"Dean, no! I never said that!" Sam said, shocked. "Besides, a GED _is_ real--- you got it 'cause you were sick of school and Dad wouldn't let you drop out otherwise! It's the same _thing_!"

"Yeah, right." Dean said, looking at his hands.

Sam sighed heavily, dying to break the silence that was building an ever-growing wall between them. He couldn't have another wall... not again... He needed Dean more than ever; he always had.

"I, uh, broke the voicemail code in Dad's cellphone."

Dean looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. But, he didn't say anything, so, encouraged, Sam continued.

"I found a message on there, a coupla months old... Some woman called asking him for help. I know he kind of ignored everyone in favor of that last..." Sam swallowed, "but... I think Dad would've wanted us to go."

"What Dad would've wanted." Dean repeated, staring at him now.

"Well... yes."

"Since when did you give a rat's _ass_ what he would have _wanted_, Sam?!" Dean burst out. "You butted heads with the man your whole _life_!"

"And maybe I feel guilty about that, Dean! For all I know, the man died thinkin' I hated him, and that's just not true... Look, I miss him. More than I thought... and I'm not all right."

"Life's a bitch, then ya die." Dean said blandly. "That's just how it is, and the fact that he spent his life chasing monsters, what did you expect? That he'd die in an old folks home?"

Sam closed his eyes. He knew Dean didn't mean that...

"Look, just... take Alex to the testing place, see what you can find." he said finally. "And... go do it now, 'cause I got work to do here." he said, going back to the car.

Sam sighed, walking back into the house...


	13. Chapter 13

Dean was in a foul mood by the time they got to this "Harvalle's Roadhouse", because he'd had to drive a beat up, filthy station wagon van that made him "feel like a soccer mom", since the Impala was still under construction. Having guns pulled on him and Sam when they walked in wasn't helping at all. Before the older woman could ask them whatever question it was she wanted to ask them, however, the blonde behind them made a startled noise. Dean turned, and she was sitting on the floor, on her butt, and Alex was holding the double-barrel in her hand.

"And, just this mornin', you said I don't teach her nothin'." Dean grinned at Sam, and took the gun.

"Who are you people?" the older woman demanded.

"Sam, Dean and Alex Winchester." Sam answered.

"Winchester? You're John's kids?" she asked softly, lowering her weapon.

"Yes, m'am." Dean said, still eyeing her suspiciously.

"Jo, go get these boys a beer. And... maybe a cream soda for the little bit."

"All right, g'head, Jo." Ellen said, and the girl hustled off. "I'm Ellen Harvalle; that was my daughter, Jo."

"How'd you know our Dad?" Dean demanded.

"Well, he and my husband used to work together, long, long time ago."

Dean frowned. "Never mentioned you all."

"Well, no, he wouldn't have. Decided that he works better solo."

_"Sounds like Dad."_ Sam thought to himself. _"I'll bet in pre-school he had to wear a sign 'does not play well with others'." _he thought to himself with a smirk...

* * *

After a couple of hours had gone by, Dean had assesed a few things. One, he liked Ash, the genius who looked like a Lynard Skynard roadie. Two, Jo seemed about ten seconds away from throwing her panties at him, and her mother was a little scary. So, he decided to take the case she offered, and be on his way.

"You're bringing a 12 year old on hunt like this, though? Are you sure that's safe?" Ellen asked innocently.

Sam tensed, seeing Dean get his defensive stance up.

"Look, lady, I just met you. Don't question how I take care of my sister. She's fine. She's trained for this." he said in a slightly dangerous tone, one that made Sam more than just a little nervous.

Jo looked at her mother incredulously. "Momma, you bitch me out 'cause I wanna hunt _now_, an' I'm 20!"

"And I'll bitch you out for it if you're 40, Joanna Beth! You ain't doin' it!"

Before their argument began to escalate further, Sam and Dean yanked Alex out of the bar and on to the hunt, which turned out to be at a Carnival.

"Clowns... stupid clowns..." Sam muttered to himself.

"Oh, that's right; you hate clowns." Dean chuckled.

"Do not..." Sam said defensively.

"You do. You usta cry when Ronald MacDonald came on TV."

"Dude, you took me to the theaters to see _IT_ when I was in kindergarten!"

"What's _IT_?" Alex asked.

"Nothing you need to see. _Ever_."

"Okay..." Alex shrugged.

"All right, you got the drill, right, Cupcake?" Dean asked her.

"For the thirtieth time, Dean, _yes_." Alex said a bit huffily. "I'm just any other customer and I'm going around, while you guys are more on the inside pretending to work, and we have the cellphones for contact."

"No talking to anybody." Sam said suddenly.

"Dude, how can I find out anything if I don't talk to anybody? That's the biggest part of our finding out process."

"Well, yeah, but..." Sam sighed. She was right, but... the whole sending his 12 year old baby sister to a carnival full of weirdos to talk to strangers was not exactly an idea that put his mind at ease.

"If someone starts coming across creepy, turn your cell on in your pocket; dial one of us. We'll find you." Sam said finally.

"Right. Okay. Promise." Alex said, walking away as they went towards the office...


	14. Chapter 14

Sam and Dean had been going back and forth on their walkie-talkies while they pretended to clean things up behind the carnival guests, and Sam thought to himself that next time he went _anywhere_ he was going to be more considerate about whatever mess he and his siblings might leave behind. Not that he normally wasn't pretty good, but...

Suddenly, he felt a buzzing on his left hip pocket, and picked up the phone.

"Alex?"

But, she wasn't answering, all he could hear was screaming...

"Dean!" he said into the walkie-talkie. "We gotta find her, fast!" he said, and raced off.

When Sam got to her, she was hyperventilating, and there was a strange looking miniature Yorkie in front of her, laying on it's back, looking pitiful.

"Alex?" Sam asked, taking her by the arms and assessing her.

"I... I didn't mean to!" she blurted, and Dean came running up about this time.

"What happened? You okay?" he asked, concerned.

"I really, really didn't mean to..." she said in a panicked, teary tone.

Dean swallowed hard. "Alex... you're gonna have to tell us what the hell you're talking about." he said in an overly patient tone.

Alex lifted up her sleeves, showing them the hand print bruises on her forearms.

"This guy... he grabbed me." she said, still trying to get her breathing under control. "But, then... when I started to fight back... he..."

"He _what_?" Sam asked, tone a little high.

"Turned into that." Alex said, gesturing.

Sam knit his brows, and Dean frowned.

"Honey, maybe you were just scared and he ran off? Were your eyes closed?" Dean asked.

"No! My eyes weren't closed!" Alex yelled.

"Easy, easy..." Dean sighed.

"It's like what happened with Buck!"

"Buck?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, Bobby's dog." she nodded. "I was sitting on the couch petting him and he turned into a goat."

"A... goat..." Sam repeated in a disbelieving tone.

"Ask Bobby! He was there!" Alex insisted. "He even saw him shake it off and turn back into the dog! And, then stuff was floating when we went outside, but it quit. Bobby said he was gonna figure it out."

"Bobby didn't say nothin' to us." Dean said. "Come to think of it, neither did you."

"You were in a coma when it happened." Alex said softly. "Next morning, you were awake and Dad was... well... A lot's happened in the past 6 days, Dean. I thought it was something connected to Bobby's house, not... _me_."

Suddenly, the Yorkie pup started shaking itself off, and in its place was a grown man sitting on all fours, sporting a black eye. Sam and Dean looked at it in absolute shock before it ran off.

Dean looked down at her as if unsure how to handle this, but Sam put a hand on top of her head.

"Dean... do you think... Yellow Eyes?"

Dean shook his head. "I... I dunno... wrong age." Dean said doubtfully.

"Then, what _else_ could it be? Another demon?"

"Maybe it's not even _her_! Maybe it's something messing with her! Something I can gank..."

Sam sighed.

"My visions aren't something 'messing' with me." Sam said quietly.

"Technically, Sammy... yeah, they are." Dean said. "Something that I plan to gank as soon as I find it."


	15. Chapter 15

Dean walked into Harvalle's with Sam and Alex, the case having been taken care of. A cold beer and whatever information Ash could find was definately what he was itching for. He tossed the folder back onto the bar.

"Done." he said. "All taken care of."

Ellen nodded. "Good, that's good. Thank you..."

Around this time, Ash came back out. "Hey, y'all came back."

"Yeah, finished early. Killer clowns." Dean said.

"Clowns?" Ash said, looking confused. "What the..."

Dean smirked. "Okay, so, what'cha got for us, dude?"

"Oh, yeah, c'mere." he said, plopping the computer down.

"Lemme see." Alex said, scrambling to get closer.

"Well, sure, li'l darlin'." Ash said, hefting her onto the stool next to him.

Alex smiled at Ash dreamily. She couldn't explain it, but something about him was absolutely fascinating. He was... well, good looking, and he smelled all manly... Her heart fluttered as he leant his elbow onto her shoulder.

_"First time a guy's almost put an arm around me!"_ she thought excitedly to herself. _"Maybe he likes me, too, a little... maybe he'll ask me out... Age difference doesn't matter to me..."_

"Here, see there? Weather patterns omens... your daddy was one smart dude." he nodded. "But, I got it all configured into here, and nothin's popping up. _But_, it's got an alert on it. That sonvabitch touches down _anywhere_, I'm gon' know, and send ya straight to 'im."

"Right... thanks." Dean said, flicking a glance towards Alex. "All right, you got our cells. We gotta get back. Come on, bitsy-bit." he said, motioning for her.

Alex bit her lower lip, but hopped down. "Bye, Ash." she said wistfully, walking back outside with the boys.

Sam and Dean exchanged near-telepathic glances and got back into the vehicle. Sam didn't even ask to drive; Dean was definately more comfy driving, being in control, and that's what he wanted more than anything right now was for Dean to be _less_ tense and in a good mood. But, there was a conversation he knew he should bring up...

"So... Alex... ah..."

"What?" Alex asked, looking at Sam quizzically. He was acting all weird...

"Did Dad ever tell you anything about... guys?"

"Lord, you're not gonna have _this_ conversation are you? Seriously?" Dean butted in. "With me in the car?"

"You're gonna make me do it by myself? No, you're stuck in it, too."

"Well, I do _know_ more than you do..." Dean smirked at him.

"Shut up and let her answer, Jerk."

"Yeah, yeah... Bitch."

Alex looked back and forth at them, flushing. "Well, when I was eight I asked him where babies came from, and he _started_ to tell me..." she said, crinkling her forehead a bit.

"Seriously? What'd he say?" Dean asked, flicking a glance towards her before turning back towards the road.

"He said 'when a man and woman really love each-other...' then kind of trailed off, and said, 'No, you know what? Boys are filthy, disgusting animals, and if one ever tries to touch you, punch him in the esophagus and then knee him in the grapes'. Then he said, 'oh, look, Bugs Bunny's on' and left the room."

Sam and Dean both started laughing at that. They laughed till their sides hurt and it was almost hard to breathe, and tears streamed down their faces. When they finally eased off, Dean reached out one hand to ruff her hair.

"Sounds like good advice to me." he said. "Pretty much what'cha need to know."

"Yeah... actually think I'm good with that, too." Sam said.

Alex huffed. "But, what if I want to go out on a date?"

"You can go on a date... when you're old enough." Sam assured her.

"When's that?" she demanded.

"About thirty five." Dean said from the driver's seat.


	16. Chapter 16

When they pulled up to Bobby's, Sam nudged Alex.

"Go inside, put your stuff in the laundry basket, and take a shower." he said.

Alex nodded, going inside the house.

When the door closed, Sam was standing on one side of Bobby, Dean the other.

"So, y'all like the Roadhouse?" Bobby asked them.

"Yeah, it was awesome--- what the fuck was with not telling us Alex might have demon powers?"

"Dean!"

"Think it's a question that deserves an answer." Dean ground out.

"Don't you get lippy with me, boy." Bobby said, not flinching in the least. "It happened about a week ago, and not much to it. "

"She turned a _dog_ into a _goat_!!!" Dean yelled. "Then, when she was with us, she turned some creepy mugger guy into a puppy!"

"So, it _is_ connected to her, not the house..." Bobby muttered, removing his trucker cap to run a sweaty hand through his thinning hair. "Wasn't sure; wanted to be sure afore I got yer dander up."

"Still shouldda told us." Sam said quietly.

"What? Is it Dad?" Dean asked, tossing his hands up into the air. "Did he just hunt one too many freaking creatures? My little brother has visions and my baby sister is turning things... into other things!"

"If it helps, Dean, I don't think she has control over it. I think she was just panicking..." Sam said hesitantly.

"No, Sam, that makes it _worse_, because what if she 'panicks' in front of another hunter--- one who we don't know we can trust?! What if you get one of your 'headaches' in front of one? I'm not worried about you two goin' evil--- I'm worried about you becoming hunted!"

"Simmer down... she's not a witch..." Bobby said slowly, "cause you can't do that 'less it's on purpose... We'll figger this out..."

"No, we won't." Dean said with an air of finality.

"Dean..." Sam sighed.

"No, we're stopping with the 'figuring shit out'. We're going to let it go and hope it goes away."

"Dean, it doesn't work that way... My visions haven't gone away!"

Dean took a deep breath. "No. That's just---"

Suddenly, Alex screamed and came running out of the house.

"What? What is it?" Sam asked, catching her by the arms.

"Someone just... appeared in the house! Dressed all weird..."

And, the man in question came out, wearing robes and a pointy hat.

"It's 90 degrees, and you're breaking into houses dressed like Merlin?" Sam asked, frowning at the old man.

"I am sorry..." he said in his relaxed British accent. "But, we did not know she was alive until her power showed up on our radar."

Dean pulled his favorite 9 MM out of the waistband of his jeans and cocked it, pointing it straight at the Dumbledore wannabe.

"Piffle, what did I expect from a _hunter_? A Winchester at that?" he said derisively.

Bobby frowned. "Who--- or _what_--- the hell are you?"

"I am head of the Wizarding Council. And, this young lady... there was a mixup. A mistake. She is a wizard; her powers have just come in, in the past few days..."

"A... wizard..." Alex repeated slowly, disbelievingly.

"Yes. You were put in the wrong family; there was mixup."

Now Sam also pulled a weapon, but the Wizard Councilman only sighed.

"No one is taking her away, merely explaining her herritage. She'll only _meet_ with the Russos. The father is an ex-wizard--- he gave up his powers to be with his wife--- and the sons are half wizards, like Alex here. When the youngest boy is 17, there will be a competition between the three of them as to whom gets to be a full wizard. The other two will loose their powers forever."

"Well, they can have mine..." Alex said. "I don't want 'em."

"I am afraid it doesn't work this way... Biologically, dear, they _are_ your parents, Jerry and Theresa Russo. They thought you had been stillborn, but, you were really stolen, and your father honestly thought... that he was your father."

"He was--- is!" Alex said, tears springing to her eyes.

"I'm only asking that you meet the four of them, but it is not really a request..." he said, and pulled out a wand.

Suddenly, Sam Dean and Bobby looked around, and Alex and the odd little man had disappeared...


	17. Chapter 17

_w_Justin and Max looked up as the 12 year old girl appeared in the lair. She wasn't familiar in the least, but, when the head of the Wizarding Council appeared beside her, he figured she must be important.

"Dad!!!" he yelled, and Jerry came running in.

"What, I--- what's going on here?"

"Mr. Russo, fetch your wife, please?"

Jerry frowned, but, he walked out to the diner again and pulled Theresa back into the lair.

"Jerry, it's the middle of the afternoo--- oh, there are other people in here."

"Mrs. Russo... much as the Wizarding Council lothes to bring up old wounds, there is... news."

"News?" Theresa frowned, hands on her hips.

"When you gave birth to your second child--- a girl--- she was not stillborn."

Alex saw the woman look angry--- truly angry.

"I saw her! You think I'm too stupid to know the difference?!"

Her husband put his hands gently on her arms. "Easy, honey..." he whispered.

"Megan Russo... she had a spell put on your womb. A 'Snow White' type of spell. The baby appeared dead, until Megan gave her the antidote potion. She then told an ex-boyfriend--- a hunter--- that he was the father, and he raised her not knowing different."

Theresa and Jerry sat down, visibly shaken.

"Listen... this is the child." he said, gesturing to Alex. "I have brought her here---"

"Against my _will_, you old freak!"

"Now, just because you were raised by those uncooth hunters doesn't mean you should not mind your manners in the company of civilized wizards!"

"Insult my family one more time, I dare you! You'll see just how much of a hunter I really am!"

The Councilman looked at Jerry and Theresa. "I brought her here to get to know you, perhaps she can have some training." he shrugged. "At any rate... I am leaving. My job is done." he said, and walked through the portal door back to the Wizarding World.

Alex was back behind a desk, her fingers wrapping around a large candlestick that appeared to be made out of iron.

"Oh, Jerry... the poor thing's frightened out of her mind..." Theresa whispered, as though she were talking about a lost kitten. "That's what I hate about that stupid council--- they never consider anyone's feelings at all! Yes, I want to know she's alive--- I'm thrilled! But, her other family--- that's all she's known her whole life! And, they aren't the ones who took her, we can't punish them for that..."

Jerry nodded, holding a hand up towards Alex as though she might start shooting at him.

"Easy, okay? It's going to be okay... nobody's going to hurt you, or keep you where you don't want to be. We won't lie and say we wouldn't like to get to know you, but we're not going to try to take you away from your father."

"Brothers." Alex corrected. "My Dad... he died a couple of weeks ago, and my brothers take care of me. They're older."

She wasn't sure why she was telling him anything--- why she was trusting these people at all, but... her heart still thudded in her chest. Her absolute _skin _shook.

"Well, I'm Jerry, and this is Theresa... and these are our sons, Max and Justin."

"Wait... so since when do we have a sister?" Max whispered to Justin.

"Apparently since always..." Justin muttered, not sure how he was feeling about this.

"Yeah... hi... can I let my brothers know where I am?" she asked softly. "I disappeared from right before their eyes--- they're probably sitting in the living room loading up AKs to come find me."

"Hunters... it's so weird..." Jerry said, shaking his head a bit. "They don't usually hunt wizards, but, some of them are a little shoot first ask questions later when it comes to the supernatural... Megan was trying to get you raised to hate us, because hunters are worse than puritans when it comes to magic."

"Dude, I thought wizards were a myth until five minutes ago." Alex sighed. "Witches, bad. Vampires, bad. Demons, bad... Wizards must not be _that _bad if I haven't heard of them. And, for the _record_," she said, offended, "we hunt and kill _evil_. We don't go _looking_ for something to harm... we help people; save them from stuff that's hurting them!"

"I'm sorry... five seconds into meeting you and I'm upsetting you..." Jerry said contritely.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" Theresa asked gently, moving closer to her.

"Alex Winchester."

"Winchester?" Justin asked, head shooting quickly up.

Jerry frowned at him.

"What do you know?"

"I'm a _wizard_, you think I don't keep up with the underground? John Winchester and his sons have... quite a reputation in the supernatural realms." Justin said.

"Really? They do?" Alex asked, pleased. "That's so cool; are we feared?"

"No---" Justin began.

"Boo!" Alex smirked.

"Gah!" Justin yelped, backing up.

Alex grinned like a champ, and Justin whipped his cellphone out of his pocket. She took it and started dialing.

"All right, where are we?"

"Brooklyn." Justin said, looking sideways at her.

"Dean! Oh, good... Okay, pack up the car, I'm in Brooklyn---"

_"We're in Minnasota, Alex! How is that even---"_

"Did you not see Mr. Wand Guy teleport us out of there? Look, this is a very, very long story..."

_"Two day drive, you sit tight." _Dean said. "_Now, are you all right?"_

"Just fine. Promise."

Then, Sam picked up the phone.

_"Lexi?"_

"I'm okay, Sam, I promise. You two get off the phone and get packing."


	18. Chapter 18

Alex sat down at the dinner table with the Russos. She wasn't going to call them "her family", because they weren't. She didn't know them from Adam. But, it was killing her as to what might happen next. Sam and Dean... they'd never abandon her... would they? Because, blood born or not, she was still a Winchester through and through... right?

She had to admit, Theresa was a good cook. Chimi Changas better than some restaurants she'd been to--- not that she'd ever been anywhere fancy. Mostly dives, a few chains every now and again. But, she was okay with that. For her, that was normal... Dean had once said that he'd take their family over normal any day. She knew he sometimes wondered if Sam felt the same, because in his heart of hearts, Sam _wanted_ normal...

_"Oh, God... he's going to say this is my chance for 'regular' and give me up..."_ she thought, a lump forming in her throat as she poked idly at an avacado slice.

"Is something the matter, sweetie?" Theresa asked gently, a bit of hesitation still in her tone. "I could fix you something else if you like..."

"What? Oh, no, no... this is very good, thank you." Alex said, wiping her cheek off a little. "I'm just... this is kind of overwhelming."

Theresa sighed, putting a tenative arm around her shoulders. When the girl didn't pull away, she embraced her tighter. "I know, and I'm so, so sorry they made it happen like this..." she whispered. "Don't you worry, I'm sure your brothers will come for you very soon... probably on their way right now..."

* * *

Dean drove the van with a determined look on his face.

_"Stupid van... bet the Impala would've gone twice as fast..."_ he thought to himself.

He was still working on getting it fixed, but right now the priority was getting back to Alex. Sam was relieving himself out of the back window, because neither of them were going to stop for anything other than necessary gas, and Bobby was going over one of the many tomes from his library in one of the middle seats.

Sam flopped back into the front passenger seat and looked over at Dean. "Gimme your cell." he asked.

"What? Why?"

"Because, it was _your_ phone she called, and the number's still on it. Her phone didn't get transported with her. I wanted to check on her was all."

"Oh, yeah, sure." Dean said, fishing in his pocket for it.

Sam held the phone in his hand for a second, then looked at Dean.

"Do you think... that they'll try to take her away?"

Dean didn't turn to look at him. "Well, they _kidnapped_ her_..."_

"Not exactly, Dean. That other guy just sent her to them. It wasn't really them." Sam said, trying to be fair and objective.

"So, he was doin' their dirtywork... Sammy, you can't seriously be taking up for these people?!"

"No!" Sam shot back. "Dean, it's just... I'm concerned! If that old dude was telling the truth---"

"He _wasn't_!"

"Well, what if he was? They might try to take her away--- especially with Dad dead!"

"Then we kill them, Sammy!"

"Dean, ya can't just kill humans." Bobby said.

"They aren't humans! They're... wizards or some shit. That's my loophole."

"No, it isn't. Wizards are humans for the most part. And, it's lookin' like the baby might be one of 'em."

"Doesn't matter. She's still ours." Dean said firmly.

"That's right, she is." Sam said with just as much conviction.

"And, it doesn't matter... humans or not, they try to hurt our sister, or take her from us..." Dean began.

Bobby half expected Sam to argue, but he saw the boy look as determined as he'd ever seen John himself look, "Then, we do what we have to." he said quietly, finishing Dean's thought...


	19. Chapter 19

It was four a.m. when the Russo loft heard all manner of banging and breaking doors. Justin ran and hid under his bed, and Max was still sleeping, but Alex came racing out, flipping lights on.

"You're here!" she said happily, racing towards them.

She embraced them both at the same time, and they both hugged her tight, dropping kisses on the top of her head, then looked her over assessingly, as if reassuring themselves she was okay.

"I'm fine." she whispered. "Glad you're here, though. Hi, Bobby." she smiled, and he pulled her into a hug too.

"Let's go." Dean began, but Jerry and Theresa came downstairs, pulling on bathrobes.

"What is going on? Are we being robbed?"

"No, it's just my family come to pick me up!" Alex called. "Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Russo!"

"Well, wait a second... don't you think we should talk a second?" Theresa said to Sam and Dean.

She watched as they yanked Alex behind them, completely blocking her from view, standing like fierce bodyguards, and she couldn't help feeling good there. She was loved... Megan may have taken her away, but she very _obviously_ sent her to a place of love.

"Sam, Dean... no one is going to harm anyone." she said gently. "And, no one is going to try to keep anyone here."

"We're not stupid; and the council are obviously a bunch of jackasses to piss of _Winchesters_ of all people and leave me, an _ex_ wizard to deal with it." Jerry said, rubbing his face groggily.

"Ex wizard? You can give your powers up?" Sam demanded.

Jerry yawned. "Yes. You have to if you marry a mortal." he said. "But, I don't regret it for a second." he smiled, pulling Theresa down next to him on the couch.

"Wait... you've heard of us?" Dean asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Dude, it's so awesome." Alex said bouncily. "We have a _rep _with all supernaturals. We're like, _feared_."

Dean grinned. "Sweet..."

"Well, we knew we had targets on our foreheads..." Sam muttered.

"Come on, Sammy; gotta feel a _little_ good to know that _they_ know... we're badass." Dean said cockily.

"Lookit... we do need to discuss the wizarding thing a little bit." Jerry said. "She... her powers ought to be calmed down by now. They come in around 12, and then it takes anywhere from three-to-fourteen days to be more controlable. I can teach her--- ah, remotely." Jerry said, suddenly nervous at the click sounds he heard. He couldn't see weapons, but thought maybe he could hear them...

"Listen, until yesterday, we thought she was dead. That isn't our fault, it isn't your fault." Theresa said. "She's welcome to visit, if _she_ likes. No one is going to make her, but we want her to know that she is always welcome, and you are as well. You_ are_ her family, I_ know_ that... We would never come between. Promise. Just... we'd like a chance to get to know her some, too. That's all."

"If... she _wants_ to visit sometime, when we're swinging through town, 'cause we travel alot..." Dean fumbled, unsure of how to handle this.

He couldn't hate them--- he wished he could. It'd be so much easier... He felt bad for what they had lost, he truly did. He just... Alex was _theirs_. Plain and simple...

"Just... not alone. It's not we don't trust you--- but we don't know you." Sam finished for him.

"Look, we can--- email some of the lessons. Mail some of the books to help her." Jerry offered.

"Like we said, dude, we travel alot..." Dean said uncertainly. "How ya gonna know where to mail 'em?"

"Wizard mail, finds ya anywhere." Jerry admitted.

"All right, whatever, we'll see... gotta get out of here." Dean said gruffly. "C'mon, Cupcake." he said, and Alex slid her hand into his.

"I should... change..."

"Oh, honey, you can keep it." Theresa said, referring to the nightgown she had loaned her for the night.

And, Sam pulled her up onto his back and they walked out of the door.

Theresa looked at Jerry. "You think she's ever coming back?"

"I don't know, Theresa... I really don't know..."

Once they got into the van, it seemed Dean couldn't get it cranked and out of the parking spot fast enough. He sped down the empty road back towards Bobby's, which was going to be a long trip. But, Alex didn't mind, and she curled up in Sam's lap, yawning.

"Get some sleep, Cupcake." Sam murmured into her hair.

"We'll find a hotel probably a little after dawn, stop and get a nap before we go back to Bobby's and work on the car." Dean said. "Soon as we get the car back goin', we're good."

"They show ya any of that magic stuff?" Bobby asked curiously.

Alex nodded. "Yeah, they have a whole room where they teach their sons that stuff. They've even got wands, which, seems so stupid to me. Harder to hide if you're using a wand; not something you'd want to draw attention to."

"Prol'ly just helps 'em focus it. Aim... enhance, that sorta thing."

"You've got a book them, don't you?"

"Four." Bobby admitted.

"You... don't have to talk to them if you don't want to." Sam said. "I mean... we're not gonna stop you, but... if you don't want to..."

Alex shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, they seem like perfectly nice people and all, they're just... well, they're not you guys... Not... mine."

"Well, what were they like, then?" Dean asked, sounding suspiciously raspy.

"Um... she cooks like, regular family meals; they work in a deli together. The older boy is kind of twitchy, the younger one... kind of naive." she shrugged.

Dean cleared his throat and pulled into a hotel parking lot.

"Come on, got a long drive ahead of us tomorrow..."


	20. Chapter 20

Max walked down to breakfast, looking around.

"She's not up yet, huh?" he asked, sitting down at the table, his eyes lighting up at the massive amounts of food.

Theresa had been up cooking a while--- she still was. It was what she did when she was stressed.

"She had to go home." Jerry said quietly.

"Before breakfast?" Max asked. "Oh, well, more for me."

Justin shook his head, looking at his father. "How could you guys not tell me? I mean, I get not telling Max--- he's little. But, why not _me_?"

"Justin... it's complicated." Jerry said uncomfortably. "How do you broach a conversation like that? There never seemed to be a right time--- and we thought she was _dead_. We had a really hard time with it, and had to deal with it in our own way."

"So, that's it, then? We meet her and... never see her again?"

"We don't _know_, all right?" Theresa burst out. "Obviously we _want_ to see her again, but the other family? Really is her family. We don't want them or her to feel like she's being taken away... Dios Mio... It would not be fair. Megan has put us in a situation where _nothing _is fair--- to _anyone_."

"Speaking of... who is Megan?" Max asked curiously.

"Megan... is a very long story..."

"Yeah, I think we have time." Justin said, looking at him...  


* * *

Bobby walked into the Winchester's hotel room, pulling open the blinds.

"C'mon, younguns; burnin' daylight!" he called out.

He heard groans coming from Sam and Dean, but a burrow of blankets seemed to throw a pillow at him.

"Git up; sleepin' all day won't make ya feel no better."

"Says you!" Dean said, yanking a pillow over his head.

"C'mon, Bobby, we've been up for two days! We didn't get to bed till five!"

"All right, I give up on ya. I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat." he said, shaking his head.

"Bring me back some pie." Dean mumbled groggily.

"Get it yourself, Princess." Bobby muttered, walking out of the room...

* * *

A few hours later, Dean walked into Bobby's hotel room, Dean walked in. Bobby was going over a book.

"Hey, interesting?"

"Yeah... reading up on that competition she'll have to do eventually. Where's Sam and Alex?"

"Went to grab some takeout, bring it back to here." he said, sliding into a chair. "So... what does it involve?"

"Mostly? Big empty field, and the 'obstacles' are the other opponents throwing magic whammys at each-other."

Dean looked at him sharply. "That sounds..."

"Dangerous? Potentially lethal?"

Dean nodded.

"Well, could be, but it depends on the teacher." Bobby said. "That there Russo didn't strike me as the type."

Dean shook his head. He couldn't argue with that. But, he also couldn't argue with the fact that she really _did _need to learn the magic stuff, if only to not get herself hurt later... but, at least it _might_ come in handy, during the hunts... so long as no other hunters found out...

"This is just great, you know... Demons on us is one thing, but I gotta protect _both_ of 'em from other hunters now..."

"Not alone, kiddo, don't you worry none about that..."

"Thanks, Bobby..."


	21. Chapter 21

On the way back, they'd decided to head to Harvalle's for a bit of a rest at least, stretch out their legs. When they got there, things seemed a little bit off, but the place was bustling, full of other hunters. Dean, for his bit, was nervous. His dad had kept him mostly out of this scene, and part of him wondered if that wouldn't be the safest thing to do for Alex and Sammy.

Alex headed towards the back to the ladies', and Sam sat down at a table with Dean and Bobby.

"What'cha lookin' for, Sammy?" Dean smirked at him.

"What? Nothing; it's just crowded in here is all."

"Right, not looking for a cute little blonde?"

"If Jo were here, she'd be in your lap by now." Sam said wryly.

Dean laughed a little bit, and Ellen came over with three brews for them.

"Hey, how y'all doin'?"

"Lookin' nice tonight, Ellen." Bobby smiled at her.

"Uh-huh... you can just keep that to yourself." she smirked back, then looked at the table again. "Where's Alex? Thought she was usually with you."

"Ladies room; probably a line or somethin'." Dean shrugged.

"Line? Not likely. Ain't see too many ladies come in..."

As if on cue, Alex came over and sat down, quiet and subdued.

"Somethin' wrong, sweetheart?" Ellen asked her.

"I'm fine; just... don't feel real good. Can we go?" she asked, looking up at Dean.

Dean eyed her. "You were just fine a minute ago. What happened?"

"Nothing."

Now all four of them were looking at her.

"When I came out there were these two guys blocking my way; tried to get me into a different room..."

The sound of chairs scraping against the floor was the response she got, as Sam and Dean moved towards the back so fast you'd've thought they were teleporting...  


* * *

Ellen put an ice pack on Dean's hand, then handed another to Sam for his eye. After they had started the fight, it ended up errupting into an all-out brawl, leaving Ellen's place... pretty trashed.

Ash, though bruised and shirtless, looked content. "Good fight." he said with a smile. "Hadn't had a brawl like that in here for ages..."

"Was kinda fun..." Dean agreed.

Sam rolled his eyes. Yeah, he'd wanted to beat on those _two_, but... taking on an entire bar full of hunters? Wasn't really his idea... But lately, Dean... ever since Dad died, mostly what he wanted to _do_ was fight and hunt...

"There's a _reason_ for that, Ash!" Ellen said, putting her hand to her forehead.

"Aw, don't y'all pay any attention to Momma." Jo said, having come in after the fact. "She don't mind much."

"No, not when it's for a good reason." she said. "What about you? You all right?" she asked Alex.

"I'm okay." Alex said in a small voice.

She kind of felt like this was her fault... if she hadn't said anything... Dean slid an arm around her with his good hand.

"We'll help you clean up." Sam offered.

Ellen nodded. "Bet your ass you will. Broken glass and wood everywhere. Joanna Beth, come on; we'll get everybody brooms and dustpans."

And, the room fell silent, except for the sound of brooms scratching the concrete floors and the low hum of the REO music Jo and placed on the jukebox...


	22. Chapter 22

Three weeks had gone by, but, finally, Dean's car was fixed. He was in an _impeccable _mood. He and Sam were off on a hunt about severed heads. Yeah, he was just goofy happy about it. Alex, they had decided could visit the Russos for a few days, but that they would be checking in and getting back as soon as they possibly could. What none of them realized, was that this was a case that could change things forever...

* * *

Alex kind of liked learning about magic, but, she was never really a "school" person, and when Theresa and Jerry suggested her going to school with Justin, she balked.

"Am I like, gonna be in his classes?"

"He's a little older than you, sweetie, so probably not." Theresa assured. "But, since it's only for a week, if you'd feel better---"

"Mom!" Justin burst out.

Alex smirked. Twitchy was obviously starting to feel infringed upon.

"It's okay, Justin. I can handle myself."

"Good, mija; we're going to take you to Mr. Larrytate and he'll place you in the temporary classes to supplement the homeschooling while you're here."

Alex followed Theresa and Jerry, surprised when Justin came along too.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

"Larrytate's kind of creepy." he whispered back. "Just thought I'd come make sure you weren't all creeped out--- Mom and Dad can be a little obvilious at times."

Alex gave him a half smile in surprise. "Wow... thanks..." she whispered.

Justin nodded, and they walked in. Alex, however, being used to facing all manner of monsters, wasn't sure that she _could_be "creeped out". However, upon meeting Larrytate...

"Well, don' worry, I'll take good care of the little filly!" he said, placing one leg up on his desk--- much higher than a man of his stature should have been able to, and it showed, as he wobbled slightly. "Keep an extra eye on her in my ol' corral."

Alex cringed. _No, no, no..._

"Um, excuse me..." she said in a very weak sounding voice. "I think... I have to go home now."

All of the adults turned and looked at her in concern.

"What is it, Alex?" Jerry asked, eyeing her.

"I... have bubonic plague! Yep, bubonic plague, that's it!"

Justin smacked himself on the forehead, but couldn't help smirking at the attempt.

"Aw, she's just a little jittery..." Theresa said, smoothing out Alex's hair. "She's been home-schooled mostly up to now."

"Home-schooled, eh?" Larrytate asked with interest.

Alex nodded, eyeing this man with distrust. "Yes. My older brothers." she said with a defiant tilt of her chin, as if daring him to argue that it didn't count or something. "Sam went to Stanford."

"Impressive. Don't worry there, little filly... we'll make sure you don't get too overwhelmed."

Alex cringed. If this guy didn't stop with the cowboy stuff that he _so_wasn't pulling off, she just might turn him into something... like a match for that one really, really tacky ceramic oversized boot on his desk...

* * *

On Thursday morning, when Alex came down the stairs to go back to that... school... she had a surprise waiting downstairs for her.

"Sam! Dean!" she grinned, rushing at them. "Oh, I missed you, I--- Whoa, hunt was rough, huh?"

Both Sam and Dean had bruised faces, but Dean's hands, they looked swollen, his knuckles raw. And, Sam appeared to have some sort of injury on his arm as well.

"Sit down." Sam said, gesturing to the couch. "We... had an interesting case..."

"Okay." she said, eyeing them.

"We met vampires who were hippie vegetarians." Dean said with a snort.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Dude, they were _not_--- they just didn't eat_ people_. They substituted cows."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Dean said dismissively.

Sam smiled. "See, we kind of got into the whole discussion on just 'cause it's supernatural doesn't make it evil."

"Ahhh." Alex said.

"But, we met a hunter, who may be a problem sometime later."

"Doubt it. He's still back there, tied to a chair, sitting in his own mess. You really think he'd be stupid enough to cross us again?"

"Wait--- you left someone tied up? Just _left_ them?" Jerry demanded.

"Easy there, Chief; I'm gonna call somebody... tomorrow, or maybe the next day. They'll come let him out. He's not gonna die or nothin'."

"But, you can't just _do_ something like that!" Jerry insisted. "It isn't... right!"

Sam looked at Jerry nervously, making a "let it go" motion with his hand at his throat.

"Maybe I should have killed the son of a bitch, put him out of his misery, then?"

"Ki--- No!"

"Dude, don't get all judgemental on me. I let him live, because I have a rule against killing humans. However, I don't have a rule against people getting what they deserve, and he deserves way worse than he _got_." Dean said, standing up. "You weren't there! You didn't hear him--- see what he did!"

Jerry nodded. "Right, you're right..."

"Damn right I'm right! That guy was seriously jacked! He killed his own sister because she got turned by a vamp! You don't do that... you... you take care of family. That's your job. You find them a nice basement to stay in during the daytime, maybe make a deal with a night janitor at the Red Cross office! You don't gank family members... You just... don't..." Dean said with a sickened look. "Besides, he threatened Sammy." Dean said, as if that completely sealed it. "_Injured_ him." Dean growled, fingers curling around the back of the couch tightly. "You know, I really shouldn't have just left him, I should have---"

"Dude. Easy. Sit down." Sam said gently.

"Oh, don't pull that Dr. Phil crap on me." Dean grumped.

"There's pie on that table?" Sam said instead, gesturing.

"Ooooh, pie..."


	23. Chapter 23

_2007..._

Dean rubbed his sleep-weary face and looked over at Sam and Alex's beds. Sam seemed to have burrowed so far into the covers, you couldn't even see one inch of his big Sasquatch frame. Alex, on the other hand, had kicked off every single blanket in the night and was wearing her iPod. His mouth quirked into a smile when he noticed that her thumb was close to her slightly open mouth, though not quite in, as if it may have been at one point in the night. Suddenly, he stood up, and decided that they looked _way_ too comfy, and pile-drive landed onto Sammy's bed. But, when he landed, instead of connecting hard with Mr. Muscles, he landed on... bunched up blanket...

"Sammy?" he frowned, yanking at the sheets beneath him. "Sam!" he yelled towards the open bathroom door.

Alex yawned, pulling her headphones out. "What's happening?"

"Sam..." he frowned, holding up Sam's cellphone, which was still on the nightstand.

"He left without his phone? He doesn't do that even just to go to the soda machine." Alex frowned.

"Right... Go get dressed." Dean said, rushing over to his duffel...

"Wait." Alex said, yanking out a map and throwing it onto a table.

"Alex, we'll navigate from the car." he said impatiently.

"Dean, we don't know where we're going." she said just as impatiently, and pulled her wand from her pillowcase.

Dean eyed the action with suspicion, folding his arms as she grabbed a book and started flipping pages rapidly.

"I need to learn a spell for turning to the page I need." she muttered, and Dean smirked a bit; she was just as impatient as _he_ was.

Finally finding what she needed, she waved her wand tenatively over the map. "Reperio Exigo Locus Sam Winchester." she said, carefully enuncinating each word.

A tiny spark seemed to hop out of her wand, and then landed on the map. The entire map set ablaze, and Dean yanked her back quickly.

"What the hell, Alex?!"

"I was trying to do a scrying type thing to find him!" she said defensively. "Better that than just running around like chickens with our heads cut off!"

"You set the place on fire!"

But, just as suddenly, the fire went out, leaving only a tiny, odd shaped piece of the map. Dean walked over to it, poking his fingers in the general area as if making sure the fire wouldn't come back, and then picked it up.

"Huh... okay, that's handy." he said, petting her on the head a bit. "Come on, we're going to a place called... Cold Oak." he said, squinting down at the map. "Get dressed, and see if we have another map so we can actually _find_ it..."


	24. Chapter 24

As Alex and Dean raced towards Cold Oak, not knowing what to expect, they had already called in the calvary, as it were, dialing up Bobby and then Ellen, who promised to bring Ash with her. Dean's knuckles were white against the steering wheel, and Alex kept stealing glances at him. She knew she'd freaked him out by her little show of magic--- she did try not to do too much in front of the boys--- but, it had been necessary, and they both knew it. Dean reached behind him, and grabbed a book out of her backpack, then tossed it into her lap.

"Dean, what---"

"Defensive stuff; look it up." he prodded. "I mean, yeah, I prefer the regular fighting, but, if we're facing what I think we are... we need any edge we can get hold to. The colt is gone, babe."

Alex nodded, flipping through the book, trying to memorize any important spell she could without getting too muddled...

* * *

When they arrived, Sam was in a little room, looking sick and traumatized.

"Sammy???" Dean asked, grabbing him into a rough hug.

Sam returned the embrace gratefully, then saw Alex and yanked her into it as well.

"God, Sammy... what'd they do to you?"

Sam shook his head. "Nothing... it's nothing..."

"Sam... it's okay." Alex whispered, and he sighed.

"Blood. Demon blood..." he murmured.

"What?"

"The fire, when I was a baby!" he burst out. "The demon... was pouring his blood into my mouth! Mom tried to stop him, that's why she died! All my fault... It's why I'm a---"

"Dude..." Dean sighed, pulling Sam's head to his shoulder.

He knew it was a big admission... something maybe Sam was ashamed of, and he wanted him to know that it was all right...

"Wasn't your fault; you were just a baby. Not your fault. None of it. And I'm gonna get that son of a bitch."

"Freak, can't scrub it clean..." he muttered, earning himself a whack on the head from Dean.

"Dude, you're not finding demons and vampiring them! It was something done _to_ you, okay? Now, we've got back up coming. Meantime, Alex might've found a spell in her book to bring the colt back."

"Might have?!"

"Well... I'm as ify on it as you are, but, it would be 'the thing that would help us defeat our enemy'. So... guessing the colt."

Meanwhile, Alex was laying out crystals in a pattern and pulled out her wand. After the sparks, there was a loud shrieking sound, causing them to all three drop to the floor and hold their ears, and all of the windows to break, covering them with shattered glass. When the noise finally stopped, the crystals had shattered as well, and everyone felt shaky.

"Um... think it didn't work." Alex swallowed.

"Yeah, ya think, _Hermione_?" Dean said sarcastically.

Alex retracted the wand and shoved it into her back pocket. "Let's just try to get out of here, okay?"

Sam put an arm around her and they walked out. Instantly, Yellow Eyes was in their path.

"Going so soon? I wouldn't hear of it."

"What are you? A Disney villian?" Dean muttered. "Get out of my fucking way, because you can't have him."

Sam breathed heavily, but stared him down as well, yanking Alex behind him.

"Oh, I'm not going to stop you. Do as you like." he said, gesturing grandly as Ash, Bobby and Ellen walked in.

Everyone stared as he shimmered away, unsure what his endgame was, feeling it must not be here, not today... The three Winchesters started walking back towards their friends, Dean in front, Alex in the middle, and Sam flanking the rear. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind, and it was as if time stopped.

"J-jake..." Sam panted, not wanting to move because of the knife at his throat.

"He thought you'd be the one, but you're not the one. You're gonna die..."

"You wanna follow him? Do what he wants? Have at!" Sam said. "I don't want anything to do with this--- I was pulled in here against my will!"

"Not good enough." Jake said, and reached his knife up to stab him in the chest, but suddenly, fell slightly away from him, and started screaming, and melting, as he spontaneously combusted.

Sam turned around, watching in horror, barely feeling as Dean yanked him back towards them.

"What... I... did not do that, I swear!"

"Well, duh!"

Alex covered her eyes. "I didn't do that... right?"


	25. Chapter 25

Dean wasn't sure what had happened, but as he stretched out on the hotel bed, he had trouble sleeping. He felt like when he was younger, and he'd pace the room so that he felt like it was all right for Sam and Alex to sleep. When they were younger, some of the places made Dean uneasy, especially with Sam only just beginning training, and Alex being an infant. Even further back than that, when Sam was a baby and he was small, he could remember pacing, or even crawling into the crib to make sure rats didn't get in there.

Not that he wasn't glad for Sam being safe--- that was priority number one. But, the whole thing about the guy spontaneously combusting... if the demon did that, then could he do it to Sam? Would he?

Suddenly, a dark haired guy in a trench-coat appeared in his room and Dean started, cocking his gun.

"That would not do you any good, Dean." the man said in a gravelly voice. "I am Castiel, an Angel of the Lord."

"Yeah, and I can shoot rainbows outta my ass."

Castiel frowned at him, a bit confused.

Sam and Alex woke up, looking sleepy but also tense, reaching for weapons.

"You can go ahead and shoot me, there will be no affect."

Dean took aim and shot him at point blank range, blinking in surprise when he didn't even flinch.

"I explained to you, Dean. I am Castiel, I am an Angel of the Lord."

Sam's eyes got huge.

"It is... highly unusual for me to be summoned. But, I am here."

"You're the thing that... made that guy melt?" Alex whispered.

Castiel sat next to her, and Dean stood up. "Get back away from her!"

"Yes. It was all part of a plan." Castiel said, ignoring Dean. "The plan... would start a chain of events that could destroy the world."

"And, you're going to stop that from happening?"

Castiel pulled the colt from his jacket pocket, and handed it to Dean.

"No. Not me."

"Wait, how did you..." Dean fumbled.

"Have faith, Dean. You will need it."

* * *

Author's Note: Short chapter, I know, but, I thought it had come to a good stopping point, and there is more, longer chapters on the way.


	26. Chapter 26

A few weeks later, a case led them back towards New York way again, and they stopped in to crash at the Russos loft for a night on their way towards... wherever their next case may be. Around mid-morning, as the boys were packing up the car, Alex came outside.

"We gotta wait till tomorrow morning to go."

Sam raised an eyebrow at her. "Why...?"

"Because, I have a date!" she said, all bouncy.

"No, you don't." Dean said, continuing to pack the car.

"No, seriously, Dean, a guy asked me out."

"Oh, I believe you. But you're just not going."

Alex pouted. "Come _on..._"

"Would you like some snacks for the road?" Theresa asked, walking out with Jerry.

"Yeah, sure." Sam nodded.

"You're not even going to consider it?" Alex persisted. "Come on, you guys date!"

"A date?" Theresa asked, looking at her interestedly.

"Yeah. One of Justin's friends asked me." she said, not noticing Justin walking past.

"Wait... what? One of _my_ friends?!"

"Yeah, so?"

"I'd give him back, doofus." Alex said, hopping onto the top hood of the car.

"In what condition?" Justin muttered. "Anyway, it wasn't Zeke, was it?"

"The little Trekkie weirdo?" Alex asked distastefully.

"Why do people keep thinking that? He doesn't like _Star Trek_..."

"Um, because he goes around talking Klingon?"

"That's not Klingon." Justin huffed. "It's actually based on one of the alien translations from the _Star** Wars**_ movies--- and, that's not really the point, is it?"

Alex shook her head, everyone looking at him incredulously. Justin flushed.

"Dean, if it's one of his friends, maybe we could consider it?" Sam said quietly.

Dean looked thoughtful. "Well, maybe... some wuss who'd be scared to make eye-contact, much less anything else..."

"Hey!" Justin protested, then sighed. "Okay, yeah, probably... Which one is it, anyway?" he asked her.

"Riley." Alex said.

"Riley?! That ape is _not_ one of my friends--- that's just offensive."

"Then how come you guys were sitting on the couch together for like, 3 hours yester... ohhhhh! Sorry, I didn't realize..."

"Didn't realize wha--- No!" Justin huffed, his face turning bright red.

Dean and Sam, however, were finding the exchange amusing.

"He was here because without me he'd still be flunking math, history and Spanish 101."

"Ohhh... So, I can go, then, right?" Alex asked the boys again.

"No." Dean said.

"Sam?"

"Yeah, I think I'm gonna go with no, too."

"But, you guys _just said_..."

"Yeah, that was before."

Alex huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "You guys were younger than me on your first dates."

"I was, Sammy wasn't." Dean said gently.

"Oh, I think she's big enough." Theresa said gently. "And, I bet I could help her get ready..."

"Theresa, I think maybe you should stay out of it..." Jerry muttered, but, of course, she ignored him.

"But, she'd look so pretty in a dress for once... Maybe a little lip gloss..."

"No! No lip gloss... that makes the guy think he's getting to first base." Dean said.

Alex looked at him; maybe he was weakening.

"And, not a skirt--- you don't wear a skirt on the first date." Dean continued.

Alex grinned. "Okay, no skirt and no makeup."

"Right..."

Alex make a slightly girly noise and hugged him. "Thank you!" Then she turned around and gave Sam one as well. "Shopping money?"

"What? Uh, sure..." Sam said, pulling a small wad of bills out of his pocket.

"Okay, I'll be back." she said, walking off.

Dean looked at Sam. "What the hell just happened?"

"You caved, man."

"_I_ caved? You gave her money!"

"_You_ set ground rules, which is the same as agreeing for her to go!"

"I... oh, crap, I did, didn't I?" Dean groaned, dropping his forehead against three fingers and a thumb.

"She'll be fine." Theresa started.

"Fine? Fine? She's going out with some looser--- because, trust me, 98% of all women Sam and I have dated in her life have been one-nighter's, and that's just what she thinks of as 'normal'."

"Well, he might be a perfectly nice boy---"

"Teenage boys are _not_ 'perfectly nice'; they're filthy!" Dean said firmly.

"That's not true; my Justin is a little gentleman!"

Justin dropped his forehead to his palm, cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Ma..."

Sam and Dean exchanged amused looks.

"Going upstairs." Justin muttered, stomping up.

"Well, yeah, but whenever he gets over the piss-pants _fear_ of the girls, trust me... You won't have cause to say that." Dean said with a slight smirk.

"No, trust me; I'm pretty sure he'd have to date a _specific _girl for a couple of _months_ to get over that." Jerry said with a slight sigh...


	27. Chapter 27

Alex came downstairs, wearing a blue shirt, denim shorts and blue tights along with some high-top sneakers. Her hair was in a sort of sideways ponytail.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"Change your shoes; put on the marching boots." Dean said, emptying a bag of weapons onto the couch.

"Those ones with the steel toe?" Alex asked with a slight frown.

"Yup. And... that yellow... spiderwebby... thing..."

"It's a wrap, and you said it looked silly."

"For _hunting_. And, it does; it would just be something to get you caught on twigs or something. But... for some guys... layers are a deterrent."

"Fine, but--- should you really have all of these in here?" she asked, fishing through her duffel for the boots.

"They need cleaning." Sam said innocently. "Good a time as any."

"Uh-huh... Okay, better?" she asked, buttoning up the crochetted bolero.

"Other than looking like Smurfette." Sam smirked, earning himself a punch in the arm. "Oh, come on... put on a little white hat and you're done.. ow..." he laughed, when she frogged him again.

"Seriously, though, you need to know some things." Sam said to her.

"Like..."

"Dudes are dirty minded; anything can be considered a 'signal' to them."

"Oh, yeah, like what?" Alex challenged.

"No crossing and uncrossing your legs." Dean threw out there.

"No batting your eyelashes." Sam added.

"No smiling." Dean said.

"No letting him hold your hand." added Sam.

"Guys, seriously? I think you can give me a _little_ more credit." Alex huffed.

"Okay, now go wait upstairs." Dean said, gesturing.

"Why?"

"Because... that's what girls do." Sam said with a shrug. "You wait till we call you."

Alex looked at them suspiciously, but went back up... A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Theresa answered, opening it up and allowing Riley to come in. His eyes widened considerably when he saw the amount of weapons on the couch and coffee table, and the two large, muscular guys cleaning them off.

"You must be Riley..." Dean said, looking at him assessingly.

"Uh, yeah..." At Dean's frown, however, he cleared his throat. "Um, that is, yes, sir."

"Right. This is Sam, I'm Dean; we're Alex's big brothers."

"Ah, okay..." Riley responded, slightly worried.

"Our sister will be treated with respect." Sam said, flanking him on one side.

"As in, she_ is_ a lady, she will _return _a lady_, _or you will _become_ a lady." Dean said, flanking his other.

Riley swallowed. "Right, of course."

The two men towering over him were obviously quite serious...

"Alex!" Theresa called nervously.

And, Alex came down the stairs, ready to leave on her first date.

"Have a good time, Cupcake." Dean said, sitting back down to check his chamber. "Just not too good."

* * *

Less than three hours later, Alex returned, and flopped onto the couch.

"So... how did it go?" Theresa asked excitedly.

"Well, it was fine, until the movie."

"What happened?" Dean demanded.

"Did that little twerp try something?" Sam asked.

"No... he peed himself!"

Max, from his chair, burst out laughing, and everyone else stared in shock.

"He... what?" Dean asked, trying not to laugh himself.

"Well, we were just talking, before the previews started, and his hand fell off of the armrest, and kind of brushed against my leg. Total accident, but, he acted like he'd gotten burned, and started freaking out, apologizing so hard he was _stuttering_, and started peeing down his leg!"

Sam winced, but Dean grinned like a champ. "See? We know how to handle this..."

Alex made a face at him, but he just put an arm around her. "It's not our fault you picked a wuss."

Alex considered this. "Okay, I'll give you that one, but, I didn't _pick_ him; he asked me."

"You at least have fun before that?" Sam asked with a smile.

"Yeah, it was all right. I don't think I'd ever tried lamb before."

"Yeah, you have." Dean said. "Those gyros you like? That's in there."

"Oh, okay."

Jerry chuckled, and Theresa looked at him. "What?"

"It's just funny. She does the same thing you used to do to me when we were dating; order the most expensive thing on the menu."

"It's a good test." Theresa huffed a little defensively.

"For what?" Jerry asked.

"Well, obviously it worked, I married you!"

"Ready to go?" Sam asked.

And, Alex, nodded, standing up to go...


	28. Chapter 28

_2008_...

It was particularly cold for mid-January, but they were in the Midwest. Money had been low, so, they hadn't stopped at a hotel in a few days, and Dean was standing outside of the car, brushing his teeth, spitting off the side of a cliff. Alex was asleep in the backseat, and Sam looked like death warmed over; probably getting sick, Dean mused. He could always tell when Sam was on the verge of getting sick. The glassy, red-rimmed eyes, the droop of the shoulders, the sweaty hair... and, weird as it sounded, the breath. Breath was different when he was going to get sick--- almost smelled like floor varnish. Not that he would admit this to Sam--- or anyone for that matter, but, it was true.

Sam stepped out next to him, using the hard travel toothbrush as well. They were at least convenient; disposable, toothpaste already added, no water necessary... just a little hard on the gums sometimes. He started when he heard a cellphone ringing. Not his; his was on vibrate. Not Dean's; the ringtone wasn't "Hell's Bells". Alex dove towards the glove box where the sound was coming from, sprawled between both sets of seats. _Dad's_...

"Hello?" she answered a bit breathlessly.

"Hi," the softly southern accented voice answered. "May I speak to John Winchester, please?" he asked politely.

"He's... not available." Alex said guardedly.

"Oh, well, who's this?"

"Who's _this_?" she demanded, instead of answering.

"Adam. Adam Mackelroy." he said in a tremulous tone. "I'm his son..."

Alex dropped the phone, diving backwards into the backseat as if it had burned her.

"Alex?" Sam frowned, concerned.

Dean grabbed for the phone.

"Who the hell is this?" he demanded.

"Adam Mackelroy." the boy said patiently. "And, I'm trying to reach my father, John Winchester."

* * *

"Dean, you don't know that this guy is a shifter." Sam said, watching Dean's elaborate set up.

"We don't _not_ know it, either. And, he could also be posessed... or any number of things. But, our brother, he ain't."

Sam fidgited uncomfortably. "Maybe... maybe Dad didn't know about him?"

"Sam, the kid's lyin'."

"Well, it's just, Dad wasn't exactly a monk, Dean... Maybe one... slipped past the goalie?"

Dean shuddered. "Gross, dude; do _not_ want to think about Dad getting laid."

Sam hid the smirk, but it faded when he saw the faraway look in Alex's eyes.

"Alex?"

"What? Nothing." she said vaguely.

"Come on, what's wrong?"

"Well, it's just... why wouldn't he tell us?" she demanded. "I know he kept his secrets, but, geez... that's..."

"There were times... that Dad was an ass." Dean admitted. "But, that doesn't mean this guy is telling the truth, and you don't need to get all worked up until we find out for sure, okay?"

Alex nodded, and then boy walked in. He didn't _look_ like a Winchester. He was scrawny, spindly, with sunk in eyes and an overbite. Alex looked _way_ more like a Winchester than _he _did, and she was sort-of-adopted, not that it mattered to her. But, everyone had always told her how much she looked like John when she was younger, even moreso than the boys. _Her_ boys, she thought to herself, and then felt guilty for that thought.

Adam sat, taking a sip of the holy water Dean had set out for him--- and no reaction. He unfolded the silver utensils, no reaction. He even put salt on his eggs...

"So, how did you know my father?" Adam asked them, looking at the three of them on the other side of the table, looking for all the world like _The Addams Family_ at the moment, watching his every move.

"Worked with him." Dean said.

"Oh, so you're mechanics." Adam nodded.

"Yeah, right." Dean returned easily.

"Even her? She looks a little young..."

"That's my little sister." Dean responded curtly.

"Oh..." Adam said. "It's funny, I didn't know him real long--- he didn't even know I existed until about 8 years ago. He come a few times, took me to some baseball games..." Adam shrugged. "But, my Momma always said I could call on him if I needed him, 'cause he was my dad."

Finally, Dean had definately had enough. "No, _we_ are his kids. Me, Sam and Alex. Not you--- we never even heard of you!"

Adam looked excited. "I have brothers and a sister?!"

"_No_..." Dean said, loosing his patience. "_I_ have a brother and a sister."

"You don't believe me." Adam said, his enthuasiam still not dampening.

"No, I don't!"

"I have proof."


	29. Chapter 29

Alex had waited until they got to the hotel room, then she went mutely to the bathroom and slammed the door. Sam frowned.

"You don't think she's gonna cry, do you?" Sam asked worriedly.

"Well... why?"

"Because... she's acting funny?"

"Dude, that doesn't equal tears--- Alex? You all right?" Dean asked, banging on the door.

"Go away!" responded the tearful voice. "I'll be fine; I'll be out in a minute!"

Sam sighed, leaning his throbbing head against the door frame. "Alex... it's okay you're upset..."

"No, it's not; it's selfish!"

"You feel how you feel." Sam tried to assure. "And, you feeling hurt because Dad didn't tell us about Adam, or him about us? Yeah, that's normal. It's human..."

The door swung open roughly, and Sam's heart felt a catch when he saw his baby sister's tear stained face.

"I don't get it... why would he hide that? Didn't he love us?"

Sam wasn't quite sure how to answer, but, fortunately Dean was there, and grabbed her by the arms, sitting her down in a chair. He knelt in front of her.

"Babe, listen to me, okay? He... he loved us, he just did the best he could." Dean swallowed, licking his lips slightly, trying to figure how to word his next sentence. "This kid... he didn't know about him from the start. By the time he did, the guy was half grown already. Already had a normal childhood, and a mom that could _keep _giving him that... he didn't want to take that away from him, because that wouldn't have been fair." Dean sighed, brushing her hair back from her face. "He was trying to protect him, in a way that he didn't have the option with us. With us... he did what he thought was best, too. It could've gone a whole other way... I mean, he'd get a little stumble-bum once in a while, but, it's not like he smacked us around or anything. He was a drill Sergeant and a control freak, but, I think he loved us."

"Dean, he went to hell for you." Sam blurted. "Think any insecurity issues you might've had on that might've been gone after that."

"Yeah, well, maybe it should have, but it really just opens a whole 'nother can of worms... And, he loved you too, dumbass."

Sam snorted.

"He _did_--- he bragged to everybody who'd listen about what a genius little Sammy was. Full ride to Stanford..."

"Then, why did he---"

"Because he's John Winchester, that's why." Dean interrupted. "And, _you_, little missy," Dean said, looking down at Alex, "you were just his princess from the day you were born."

"Really?"

"Yeah... he sat us down and had a two hour lecture on how we're s'posed to take care of you the day he brought you home." Sam said, sitting on a tabletop next to her chair. "And, you got by with stuff when you were little... we never wouldda dreamed of."

"Really?" Alex asked, tilting her head slightly at them. "Like what?"

But, her question was never answered, as there was a knock at the door...

* * *

It struck Dean as odd how willing Adam was to believe everything about the hunting business, but, as he logically stated, "Why would y'all lie to me about something as crazy as that?"

It was hard to argue with that logic, especially when they _weren't_ lying. Sam thought maybe now that he knew, he'd be safer with a little training, even if Dean was against it. They opted to crash at Adam's mother's house for the time being, so Adam could at least pack away some of her things. Meanwhile, Dean admitted that the least they could do was find the thing that had killed Adam's mother to start with.

"Anything I can help you with?" Alex asked softly.

"Yeah, sure." Adam said with a smile. "Could you maybe get those boxes down from that top shelf?"

Alex shrugged. She found it odd, considering the dude was taller than her, but, hey, maybe he was afraid of mice or spiders or something, she reasoned to herself, and climbed up on the step stool. She felt him close behind her as she did, his hands on her bare calves.

"You look a little wobbly up there." he said.

For some reason, it didn't make her feel safer. It made her increasingly uncomfortable. But, what could she really say to Sam and Dean about _that_? They'd think she was either sick or insane... She gingerly handed down the boxes, one at a time, until she heard a loud clearing of a throat.

"Oh, hey, Sam!" Adam called out. "Alex was helpin' me get stuff down."

She felt rather than saw Sam move Adam over, and then was grabbed at the waist and set down on the ground.

"Ah, those are the wrong shoes for that job." Sam said a bit lamely. "You'll break your neck. Besides, Dean needs you to go grab some takeout."

Alex looked at Sam quizzically. "But... I don't have my license..."

"I saw a place not three blocks away." Sam countered, handing her a small wad of bills.

"Yeah, okay." Alex said, pocketing the money.

"Make sure you get some kind of desert for Dean, okay?"

"Right, okay, I'll be back soon." Alex said, walking out of the room and out the door.

Adam looked at Sam. "You sure she's all right by herself?"

"She's fine--- you, on the other hand, need training. Now, come on; you won't learn anything sitting on your ass." he said, almost channeling John's Drill Sergeant voice. "Let's move it; start running."

"Excuse me?"

"Dude, if a zombie's chasing you, and you run like a girl, you're food. Hup-two!"

And, Adam started running laps around the house as Dean walked in.

"Dude, what the hell was _that_?"


	30. Chapter 30

Sam fidgited uncomfortably.

"You were more like Dad than I'd ever _seen _you, and that's the side of him you full-on hated the most." Dean said bluntly.

"No, the side I hated the most was the one that would abandon his own kids because we wanted a _little_ independance. That just because we wanted something for ourselves, it meant we didn't love the rest of the family!" Sam blurted. "But, yeah, I hated the Drill Instructor, too. Though, I have to say... gets results." he admitted. "Do we have any aspirin?"

"Yeah, I'll go check the bathroom cabinet." Dean dismissed. "Now, why don't you tell me what's going on, 'cause that's... really not you."

Sam shrugged. "Excedrin, I think Excedrin will be better..."

"_Sam_!"

"Fine... He was... _looking_ at Alex."

Dean frowned. "What do you mean, 'looking'? Like... _looking_ looking?"

Sam nodded.

"Dude... gross." Dean said. "Maybe... maybe you're on high-sensory alert, you mistook it?"

"He was looking up her skirt, Dean! She was standing on a ladder, and he was _right there_ under her, with a look on his face like it was one of those ten dollar booths!"

"Right... go to the bathroom, get yourself something for that headache." Dean said quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Sam frowned slightly. "What about you?"

"I, am going to pack our stuff. I'm a better packer than you are."

"You don't think we should just talk to him---"

"Look, we don't know this guy--- and that's the way Dad wanted it. Let's just respect that and move _on_. Long as he didn't actually place hands on her--- he didn't, right?"

"No." Sam said. "But, Dean, what about whatever's haunting this place?"

"Right... we don't let the baby out of our sight, then. And, we don't need to be sleeping _here_."

Sam nodded, and then Adam walked in, handing him a bottle of pills.

"My mom was a nurse, she had some good samples from the hospital. These kind are good for headaches. Kind of overheard, sorry. Look... you're mistaken... That ol' stepstool's wobbly, and I didn't want her to fall and get hurt was all."

Sam looked unsurely at him, but took the bottle anyway.

"Dude, wasn't in the room, but, if I catch you at it, I will castrate you with a rock." Dean said.

Adam was safe from response, Alex walked back in with paper sacks so soaked in grease it looked as though the bottoms might fall out.

"Okay, this place had chili cheeseburgers with triple bacon, but the fries looked like crap--- those nasty, crinkly ones that've been sitting under a light since last Tuesday, probably?--- so, I stopped by the gas station next door and grabbed some chips instead." she said, sitting the food down on the table. "Oh, and, Dean? The gas station had some of those little mini fried fruit pies, too." she said, dumping out the plastic bag."

Dean slung an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "There's ma'girl..."

"Well, come on, let's eat before it congeals..." she said, trying not to note the uncomfortable looks on their faces...


	31. Chapter 31

_Author's Note: Sorry for the long time between updates. Little bit of writer's block for it, but... hope this chapter makes up for it.__

* * *

_

Sam sat on the couch, feeling a little woozy. Okay, more than a little... He should have probably asked what he was taking--- he was never good with medication, and anything much stronger than an Excedrin Migrane knocked him on his ass. That's why he usually just took a shot of alcohol for the pain. Well, that, and Winchesters were well known for being champions of the drink. At any rate, here he was, barely able to keep his eyes open, his vision fuzzing and his brain starting to go blissfully blank as everyone else worked. He didn't even notice as Alex pulled a blanket over him, and softly began snoring.

"All right, he's obviously useless right now." Dean said, looking over at his little brother.

"Lay off; he's not feeling well." Alex said softly.

"Well, I've got some leads to check out, come on."

"Did you get me a fake ID that says over 21 yet?"

Dean winced. "You wouldn't pass for that--- probably not even when you _are_ 21. Got the baby face."

"Yes, but they won't let me even come _in_to some bars until you do." Alex reminded.

"All right," Dean said a bit reluctantly, "you stay here with Sam."

Alex nodded, flopping down next to her sleeping older brother.

"Listen to me," Dean whispered in her ear, "you don't move more than ten feet from him if you can help it, you hear me?"

Alex rolled her eyes at him, but, muttered, "Yeah, yeah..."

* * *

Two hours went by, and Sam's head had fallen onto Alex's lap by this time. She was engrossed in an marathon of _Numb3rs_, and wondered why she'd never seen this awesome show before now. Well, okay, hunting took up a lot of time, especially at night, but...

Charlie and Don... _so_ mega-yum, and, she could see odd little parallels between them and her own brothers. Like, the little brother being the "genius/freak", the older one being the tougher, overprotective one. The period of three years being out of each-other's orbit because one brother was hunting bad guys, and the other was in pursuit of higher learning, so it took them far away from each-other, one being in New Mexico, and the other being in New Jersey... But, then, the older brother's hunting of bad guys was ultimately what brought them _back_ together and closer than ever...

She caught herself gasp, though, when she saw a twist in a case, where Charlie found child pornography on a computer and was, understandably shaken... Tears actually stung her eyes when he and Don ended up fighting about it.

"You all right there?" Adam asked, peering closely at her.

Alex started, wiping her cheeks off furiously.

"Yeah, fine... just... stupid tv shows." she said. "Is there any popcorn?"

"Yeah, pantry." he said.

Alex slid Sam's head out from under her, frowning a little when he didn't even seem to notice, especially since his head made a little "thump" noise when it it the arm of the couch.

"Sorry, Sam." she said, biting her lower lip, then put a hand on the side of his head.

"I'm... gonna go be right back..." she said. "Dean should've been back by now, I'm going to call him..."

"Oh, there's no need to do that." Adam said, smiling at her, and it was suddenly a very eerie smile.

"Yes! Yes, there's a need! Dean has the car! I have to get him to a doctor!"

"He's fine--- he'll wake up... eventually. Depending on how many 'headache' pills he took... Most people take two, and judging by his height and weight---"

"You drugged him?!" she screeched, launching herself at him.

But, he merely caught her, and, with surprising strength, carried her over his shoulder to another part of the house...


	32. Chapter 32

Sam woke up, tied to a table. He strained against the ropes, but Adam and--- his _mother_?--- were standing over him.

"Dude, she's not your mom--- she's a friggin _ghoul_!" Sam yelled. "Help me!"

"You know, I always thought ghoul was such a racist term." he said, looking at him solemnly, and then cut a slice out of his arm. "See, we take the form of the last person we munch on."

"So, there never was a---"

"Oh, there was." the female ghoul smirked at him. "And, the hillarious bit? He _was_ your little brother! But, this guy, is _my_ little brother, actually. And, your Dad killed our Dad."

Sam bucked against the ropes. "Where's Alex and Dean?!"

"Oh, little pretty? See... there's somethin' you don't know about ghouls..."

"Other than the fact that you're filthy scavangers?" Sam spat sarcastically.

But, Adam backhanded him hard for it. "_No_, Mr. Smarty pants... we don't reproduce the same way others do. See, our females are barren. All of 'em. It's kind of like how you make a donkey with a mule and a horse--- or is it a mule with a horse and a donkey?" he mused, scratching his head.

His sister slapped the back of his head. "Moron. Mmm, Sam... your blood tastes special... different, I like it... Anyway, as 'Adam' was saying," she continued, using air-quotes for his name, "We need a pod. A human pod. Did you ever watch the movie _Alien_?"

Sam looked at her in horror.

"Remember the dinner table scene, where the alien burst out of that dude's abdomen? It's kinda like _that_. That's how we're born. We kind of incubate for 24 hours, feeding off of the mother... then we eat our way out. But, conception? It's basically the same as for you disgusting humans."

Sam pulled roughly against the ropes, despite the pain he was in, which was increasing as they slowly cut him, peeling off bits of skin as though they were at some kind of cannibal buffet.

"You touch my baby sister and I'll fucking rip your heads off!" Sam bellowed.

The table actually made a creaky noise and a small, splintering crack appeared, but, the heavy oak was not yet to be broken.

"Holy shit, I shouldda gave him more drugs..." Adam murmured in awe.

"Oh, just leave him to me." his sister ghoul said, her face now covered in blood. "Just... go do what you have to do with the female. We do have to keep our race up." she said to Sam, as though she were talking about something as casual as drinking a glass of juice.

Sam pulled harder, but, the drugs and loss of blood still weakened him, and the ropes kept him in place. Suddenly, the door burst open, and Sam heard two shots. He managed to look up, and Dean had blown both of their heads off, and was racing towards him to cut his ropes with a knife.

Concerned green eyes were searching him, assessing. "Dude, sit still..." he said, his voice oddly gentle.

"N-no... Alex... gotta find Alex..." Sam said, pushing weakly against Dean's hands.

"Damnit, stay _there_!" Dean ordered. "I'll go get her!"

Dean raced towards the back of the house, and heard a light but steady clinking noise. When he opened the door, Alex was there, duct-taped to the brass headboard, tape on her mouth, wrists, and ankles. He rushed to her, kneeling down.

"Oh, babe..." he sighed. "This is gonna hurt, okay?" he apologized in advance, and ripped the tape off.

But, true to her Winchester raising, she barely made a muffled yelp. It was enough, however, that Sam heard it from the den and pulled himself up.

"Sorry, Cupcake." Dean sighed, cutting the tape off of her ankles and wrists.

"I'm okay." Alex said, wincing slightly as Dean gently touched the slight bruise on her jaw.

"Alex?" Sam asked a bit frantically, limping into the room.

"Dude, I told you to sit down!" Dean said, frustrated, and led him to the bed, too. "See, she's fine."

"Did he... I mean, did he..."

Sam wanted to ask, but, the question just wasn't coming past the bile in his throat.

"No, Sam. I'm okay; he just duct-taped me to a bed. It's embarrassing, but, not _that_ traumatic."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief.

"We have to get him to a hospital..."

"Perhaps I can be of service." A voice said suddenly, and there was Castiel, standing in the room.

"Dude, where the _hell_ were you an hour ago?! That's when you fucking could've 'been of service'!"

"It is not my job to sit on your shoulder, Dean Winchester! I have my assignments!" Castiel said in his big scary angel voice.

But, Dean was not in the least put off. He'd lived with John Winchester for 26 years, _inventor_ of the 'big scary voice'.

"Okay, whatever--- can you fix him?"

Castiel nodded, laying two fingers to Sam's forehead...


	33. Chapter 33

They stood over the burning pyre that had once been Adam, no one sure what to say, what to feel... he had been family, but, they never even knew him. Never had the chance... It was like Alex with the Russos at first, though, she'd had two years to get to know them, despite limited contact. Even still, she knew where her home was. Just like Sam knew, just like Dean. That beautiful, black Impala. _That _was home. The most constant "place" the three of them had ever known. Even though it was Dean's car, it was _their_ home.

"Maybe... maybe we shouldn't be doing this--- we should try to bring him _back_?" Sam fumbled.

"No, Sammy." Dean said gruffly. "You get brought back--- you come back wrong. Besides, he got to live his life in blissful ignorance, why bring him back to _two_ dead parents and the fact that horror movies aren't all bullcrap? He died like a hunter. He should be sent off like one. No more deals for us... no more."

Castiel looked at the three of them approvingly.

"We should leave this place..." he warned.

Dean nodded, took a sip from his flask, then handed it to Sam. Sam took a chug, looked at Alex, then the flask, then allowed her to take her first sip as well. She made a face as the bitter liquid burned her tongue and the inside of her cheeks, and finally her throat.

"Bleh."

Sam and Dean smirked, and Dean took it back.

"We should get going... we have stuff to get on with." Dean said. "Where to next, Cas?"

"There is a demon." Castiel said slowly.

"Ain't there always?" Dean grinned.

"This one... is worse than others you have faced. She is part siren... you must kill her fast, no matter how she makes you _think_ she is helping you."

"A demon? Helping? Yeah, right..." Sam muttered.

"Just find her and kill her fast." Castiel warned. "And, your path shall stay well."

"All right, you heard the man--- er, angel." Dean said, smacking his hands together. "We got us a hunt to get on..."

**The End...**

_Author's Note: I want to personally thank each and everyone of my reviewers for sticking with this story--- you've made me feel very good about my writing and that puts a smile in my heart, as well as making this fic forty-nine times more enjoyable than it might have been without you. Thank you for making this one of my best (and most reviewed) fics yet!_


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